


Moments Known and Unknown

by Montreat11



Series: Moments Series [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Adventure, Angst, F/M, Friendship, Slow Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-15
Updated: 2018-01-15
Packaged: 2018-03-07 15:03:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 63
Words: 160,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3176566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Montreat11/pseuds/Montreat11
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Her future seemed set in stone for the rest of her life, but she's about to begin an adventure that will teach her that the future isn't always as it seems. 1st in the Moments Series. Belles perspective on everything that happens in the Enchanted Forest starts with the deal she made with Rumpelstiltskin and ending with the moment the curse hits in her cell. R/R.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Once Upon a Time

So this was what her pleading and begging, her answer to everything had amounted to.

Tension.

She'd felt it before, growing slowly day after day as the war raged on and she'd begged her father to change his mind and do this one thing for her, to summon the man that made him so nervous he didn't want to hear or even say the name. Now it was finally done. Her father had finally given in when the death and destruction became too much and they were left with little other choice. Now the wizard she'd read about in her books had received their request for help...and she really wasn't sure if she hoped he would come or not.

She had taken to reading in the war council room in the last year and it wasn't because it was comfortable to read in, the room was drafty, not hard to imagine considering the gaping hole in the wall the ogres had left there when they invade. But it didn't matter because she really wasn't there to read at all. If anyone ever watched closely enough, they'd notice that she rarely turned a page in her precious book! Part of her didn't want to turn the pages, for fear she'd crinkle them or damage it in some way. It was one of the only things she had that reminded her of her mother. That, and the small pearl necklace that she'd taken years ago just after her death and now hung around her neck. A painful reminder of...

She swallowed her grief back down and stopped staring blankly at the page in front of her to pick up her head and look around the still tense room. No, they wouldn't notice she wasn't really reading. No one ever seemed to notice her here. Not her father, not Gaston, not the soldiers or advisors. Not now, not before. But at the moment, that was just fine with her, just the way she wanted it. Let them forget about her, let them think she was just a silly, frightened girl that was seeking the company of strong, protective men. So long as it allowed her to accomplish her objective, she was willing to be seen as that.

She wasn't in this room to read. The truth was she'd begun to sit in the council room day in and day out so she could listen to what was happening with the war. It seemed sinister, to have to spy like this, but if she didn't she knew the answers that she would get when she asked about what was going on in the world beyond these crumbling walls. "Oh never you mind. I'm sure your father and Gaston will take care of it," her nurse had told her one too many times. And she'd tracked her father down enough over the past few days in the hallway to know the answer "I've done what I can, Belle, please leave the rest to me and stay far away from this business!" by heart. She hated that answer. She didn't want to stay far away from the business, especially if she'd been the one to instigate it! And if there was anything her days of sitting here had proved it was that her begging and pleading, the request that she'd made of her father, was beyond necessary. The more they waited, the more they stalled, the more she came to realize they were not "taking care" of it...at least not well enough.

It was dire. She knew it was from the reports she was hearing. The years this war had cost them had finally taken their toll and now they had reached the end of their rope, their options were gone, the resources dried up, and now all it seemed they could do was await the arrival of their last hope...their only hope. The tension was so thick in the room it was hard to breathe, probably because after all she'd read she wasn't sure if "hope" was the word their savior would inspire in others. From what she'd read, "fear" was probably more accurate.

Suddenly, the door to the room opened and there was a unison intake of breath among the occupants, which was quickly released. It wasn't him. Only one of her father's many soldiers, one of the few that was left anyway. Everyone silently gathered around the table, holding a map of her father's small kingdom. Even she shut her book and clutched it protectively to her chest as she strode over to listen carefully. No one noticed. The soldier placed a note into one of the advisor's hands. "Sir, there's news from the battle field," he unfolded the note and paused for a moment. It was bad news, she could tell before he read it from his fallen face alone. Something bad had happened. "Avonlea has fallen."

The words fell from his mouth and sank into their bellies like rocks in an ocean. Her jaw dropped and she looked around the room over to Gaston, her fiance, who appeared to be just as in shock as the rest of them. This was bad. "Oh my gods," she heard her father mutter tonelessly. This had been his plan, his brilliant idea to save their country. If Avonlea was gone, their last hope to beat the beasts back on their own...then all truly rested with-

"If only he had come," Gaston lamented beside her, for once echoing her own thoughts.

"Well he didn't, did he!" her father yelled at him over the top of her head. She knew he wasn't actually angry at Gaston, he could do no wrong in his eyes, he was only disheartened at what was happening to his kingdom. Small as it was, he loved it. They all did. Avonlea...it wasn't too far from here, only two days on horse back. It was a lovely place, one of the largest towns in her fathers Kingdom and one of the strongest. They had a palace there, that they liked to stay at...or at least they had. Now it was gone. All of it. Gone. That had to be what her father thought as he walked away from the table, his shoulders hunched in defeat. This was a tragedy. "Ogres are not men!" he tossed over his shoulder, before slumping down onto his throne.

"We have to do something!" Gaston said, offering little but the reminder of failure. "We have to stop them!"

She fought hard no to roll her eyes. Of course they had to do something to stop this, but...they'd been doing something to stop this! They'd been doing it for years! And when every option was exhausted...eventually there was nothing to be done. Her father knew this, it was why he suddenly looked like a very old pauper instead of a proud man of noble blood. She couldn't let him give in this easily. He had to keep faith, keep believing. The entire room was looking to him for support and encouragement and if he didn't offer it, then the entire country would lose heart. And if that happened they may as well surrender this moment. Besides, hope wasn't completely gone yet. For all they knew the last chance they were waiting for just hadn't shown up yet. It was a long shot but it was more than any of the other brave soldiers in the room seemed to offer. It was better than death at the hands of the ogres.

She set her beloved book down and stepped easily around the men, then sank down next to her father's defeated form, taking his hand in her own. He couldn't give up yet.

"They are unstoppable," he muttered sadly, his eyes distant, seeing without truly seeing his daughter. He'd been through so much in the last few months. The war, the loss of her mother, her engagement, then the horrible turn this terrible war had taken. But giving up was easy, and, though neither of them liked the simple idea she'd come up with, it was all they had left to believe in. They had to cling to it.

"He could be on his way right now, Papa," she reminded him. But the expression on his face never changed.

"It's too late, my Belle," he muttered sadly, "it's just...too late."

She felt useless. And seeing her father in this state only made her feel worse. She wished she could do something, wished that there was something more that would help the situation. That she could bring her mother back or end this war, but those were impossible tasks! Deep down, she knew there was nothing that hadn't already been tried. Even if she did have another spark of an idea, no one here would listen to her anyway. Her own father barely listened, it was only after weeks of urging that he'd finally given in to her, it wouldn't be the same now. No one would look to her, or expect her to ever-

Suddenly something pounded on the door, startling her and everyone else in the strained room. "It's him!" she shouted confidently, relief spreading through her chest. "It has to be!" There was no one else that they were expecting, no one that would ever venture out here during the war, which left only one possible conclusion. Her heart leapt with nervous energy, for the possibility that someone else could do what she couldn't, that this would go better than her father thought it would. She didn't care what she'd read about this monster, if he could ease her father's suffering and save her country, this little village, then whatever he asked of them would be worth it.

Her father stood and they approached the door together. "How could he get passed the walls?" he muttered, almost nervously. "Open it!"

The tension seemed to heightened as she clutched her father's arm and heard Gaston draw his sword cautiously. But as the doors opened she and everyone else stared in confusion. There was no one there! But then what-

"Well, that was a bit of a letdown," they all jumped at the unknown voice, and turned quickly to see a man...no, creature really, sitting on the seat that was supposed to be her fathers. He gave a playful giggle as they stared, like something was funny but no one in the room jested with him. Everyone stood perfectly still, taking in the shocking sight of him. He looked like a man, well he had the body form of one: two arms, two legs, a head full of hair, two eyes, a nose, and a mouth. But his skin! His skin was a strange color, gold, slightly greenish even and seemed to sparkle as he moved. His nails were black, his teeth rotted. And his eyes, they reminded her of a lizards eyes. Cunning and shifty, like they could see straight through her. She found herself trying not to sneer at the strange man, if she could even call him that. This was what her begging and pleading had amounted to. She hoped looks were deceiving and it would be worth it.

Gaston pulled his sword and approached him like the threat the roll in her belly told her he was. "You sent me a message," the stranger said in a high-pitched voice ignoring his advance, "something about 'Help! Help! We're dying! Can you save us?'" he mocked giving them a childlike smile. She glanced at her father. This! This was really the sorcerer she'd read about? The great wizard?! He acted more like a child! "Now the answer is..." he drawled, glaring at Gaston, paying no heed to the sword in his hand, "yes!" he finally answered, batting the weapon away like it was an annoying fly, "I can." He tossed a tower from the map, that she hadn't noticed that he was playing with, at one of the advisors and the man caught it but only barely. Like her, no one seemed to be able to focus on anything but this creature. She couldn't help it, he was constantly moving, twitching. Everywhere all at once! And yet as strange and mysterious as he was, she was impressed with the way that he commanded the attention in the room. She found herself wishing that she could do that just as easily. She wished she could make people listen to her the way he did!

"Yes I can protect your little town," he continued, his tone changing ever so slightly. He walked around the table and suddenly pointed a finger at her father. "For a price," he added maliciously. No wonder his tone had changed. She knew that his 'protection' wasn't going to come cheap, they all had that was why they'd waited so long to call him for help! Clearly he'd never heard of doing something for the common good just because it was the right thing to do. This kingdom may have been small, only a few tiny villages that belonged to them were left after today, but it was still a good kingdom with good people, and it was for that reason alone that if he was going to demand payment, they would pay it. They would have to. The kingdom was looking to them for help, they wouldn't ignore them.

"We sent you a promise of gold," her father insisted, suddenly finding his voice and stepping up to him.

"Ah! Now you see, um, I, uh, _make_ gold!" he said like it was the most obvious, idiotic, thing in the world to suggest. Now that she thought about it, it was. She'd read that he could spin ordinary straw into gold somewhere in her book. But if gold wasn't the answer then what else was there for a man who had no need of riches? "What I want is something a bit more special," she didn't like the tone of his voice, it made her stomach turn nervously. "My price...is her."

Her? Her?! Was he pointing at her?! She couldn't tell because he had barely seemed to notice her, just like everyone else in the room. But from the way that her father was now looking at her, and the way Gaston had put his arm out in front of her told her that she wasn't mistaken. He was talking about her!

"No!" her father said, less than convincingly. It was a strange feeling. No one had ever noticed her in the room before, but now they all seemed to be staring at her. And the way some of them were looking at her made her sick. It was like she wasn't a woman or even a person any more, but collateral. It was the same look her father had before he'd urged her to marry Gaston! Some of them were actually considering this! Her heart was jumping erratically. Never had she thought that she'd ever think Gaston was a suitable husband, not for her, and thinking about what she'd been told was to happen after they were married, what she needed to do with him to make sure their was an heir...it made her feel ill! But compared to this man…well, surely Gaston wasn't the worst person she could be forced to marry.

"The young lady is engaged…to me!" Gaston defended just as proud and confident as ever. Apparently she hadn't been the only person thinking about her new potential marriage. He was just the only one possessive enough to say something.

Rumpelstiltskin gave another childish giggle. "I wasn't asking if she was engaged!" he said moving around them, still paying her no attention. "I'm not looking for…love" he said, saying the word like he was disgusted by it and leaving her perfectly confused. If he didn't want her in that way, then what did he want her for? "I'm looking for a caretaker," he corrected, answering her question as if he could read her mind, "for my rather large estate."

Her nerves eased with the knowledge that he didn't want a wife but a caretaker. The position was beneath a woman of her royal blood, but even she had to admit it didn't sound too bad. Certainly not as terrible as marriage. Caretaker. That meant...what exactly? Becoming a maid? Looking after the "large estate" and it's occupants? How much could that entail? Cleaning? Organizing? Cooking? Laundry? She could do that. Well, actually she couldn't, but she could learn. And it wasn't like he was asking her to marry him and produce an heir as she was expected to with Gaston. But the smile on his face, it made her uneasy, what was the reason behind that smile?

"It's her or no deal," he said, finally coming to the bottom line.

"Get out," her father ordered outright in a less than forceful tone. Rumpelstiltskin smiled, still not looking her, and it was beginning to bother her. If he was going to include her in on a deal and barter with her future, the least he could do was look at her, maybe even ask her instead of her father! This had all been her idea after all. And yet-

"Leave!" her father shouted loudly.

Suddenly Gaston's arm carelessly hit her in the neck as he pushed her back out of the way. It made her hands ball into tight fists as she struggled to keep from snapping at him. It wasn't the first time she felt pushed around and she hated it each time, even in the most pressing of situations.

"As you wish," Rumpelstiltskin muttered, before slowly walking toward the door. He was really going to leave.

No. No this couldn't all have been for nothing! Their Kingdom needed help and this man had the answer! But the price, it was just...

From somewhere deep down she heard a voice in the back of her head, one that sounded like her mother, ask if this was how she wanted to live the rest of her life. As someone no one listened to, no one paid any mind to, and had to beg to be heard. If she really wanted to be married off to Gaston like a prized mare, or produce an heir to the throne like livestock and be forever known as the pretty face beside the King! And that was if they could win the Ogre War.

What would happen if they didn't? What would become of her then? Of her father? Of their people? What would their life be like? Would they even survive? Would their kingdom? She'd already lost her mother, a brave valiant woman who had sacrificed everything, including her life, so that she could live-truly live! Was this really how she'd have wanted her to live out that sacrifice? Or would she expect more? Her mother had taught her she didn't need a sword to be a hero, just one word, one brave selfless action! An action she hadn't had months ago to save a dear friend. No, she wouldn't let that happened again because of her...she couldn't!

"No! Wait!" she called suddenly feeling every eye turn to her once again, looks of shock written on their faces. Even the man, the creature, Rumpelstiltskin finally turned to look at her. She took a deep breath and removed Gaston's arm before walking away from them and standing before the reptile man. She looked him over once and then swallowed hard trying to find her voice before her nerves got the better of her. Only a few words, she only needed a few words. She had to say them and it would be done. She had the courage somewhere, certainly she'd inherited that from her mother. Maybe if she did the brave thing, said the brave words, she would find that she really could be truly brave. Maybe she could be the hero, just like the men in her books...just like her mother.

"I will go with him," she said firmly, leaving no room for argument. And yet the room seemed to explode.

Rumpelstiltskin giggled.

"I forbid it!" Gaston insisted.

"No!" her father muttered shocked.

"No one decides my fate but me!" she turned to shout at the two of them. Something in her snapped, irritated with the way she was treated and how they thought they should have more say over what she did and didn't do in her life than she did. It was her father trying to convince her not to go to Arendelle all over again! Only this time she'd have the promise that everything would work out! She'd never get Anna's life back, she'd have to live with that for the rest of her life, but maybe...maybe she could ease her burden, by countering one terrible deed with a good one. One selfish act had cost a woman her life, maybe one selfless one could save hundreds.

"I shall go," she said, turning back to the creature before her, her outburst silencing the two of them.

"It's forever, dearie," he commented with childish glee.

Forever. An eternity with this man no doubt would truly feel like an eternity, she'd grow old and die in his shadow. But she thought of the villages, her own and the others, the families, the children, all the mothers and fathers that would benefit if she did this. She wouldn't be nobility anymore. She'd be less. Prisoner forever. Caretaker. Forever! She could live with that. She could learn to live with it. She could figure this out one step at a time, one day at a time. She had to, for them, for her own mother and father, and in a strange way she couldn't understand, for herself as well. But she had to be sure first. If it was forever, then she wanted to be clear exactly what "forever" bought.

"My family, my friends, they will all live?" she stated her expectations clearly, leaving no room for loop holes, no room for him to fool or trick her, as she'd heard he often did. This was her deal now, it wasn't her father that could save everyone, it was her.

Rumpelstiltskin gave a small innocent bow. "You have my word."

Then her fate was sealed. She'd always wanted to be in charge of herself, to plan her own future, but she certainly never thought this was where it would lead her. She pushed the regret, the "what if's", the possibilities, the fears and nerves out of her mind, and managed to find the right words once again.

"Then you have mine." She didn't leave room to mourn, "I will go, with you, forever."

"Deal!" Rumpelstiltskin giggled more gleefully than before and jumped up and down excitedly. She watched him curiously. This was it then, this...this childish powerful creature was her new future. She remained stone faced, not allowing anyone to see any of the emotions passing through her. She could do this.

"Belle," came her father's voice behind her. "You cannot do this," she turned to him and rested her hand on his chest, trying to keep her face brave and not cry. She'd been separated by her mother by force of death and now she was voluntarily doing it to her father. It was hard to see now, but this was the right thing to do. He would remain, he would live, he would continue to rule and when it was time another heir could be found. That was all that mattered. She had to be brave for him, after all, this was for him. "Please," he begged, "you can't go with this...beast!" he spat glaring over her shoulder to the creature about to take her away from this life.

"Father, Gaston..." she looked at the pair of them, she'd known them both for a long time, her father for her entire life! Gaston she wouldn't lament being rid of but her father...no matter how demanding and controlling he could be he did love her more than anything! Separating from him wouldn't be easy, but it had to be done. "It's been decided," she said firmly, trying to tell him that things were not going to change. Their desperate pleas were useless.

"You know..." the sinister voice muttered behind her, she could hear his footsteps coming closer to her, feel him lurking just over her shoulder, "she's right." She glanced at him, still wearing a face of indistinguishable emotion. "The deal...is struck!" he said, in a way that made her stomach flip over. But looking at her father she could tell that it had gotten the point across to him. It seemed to have killed his hope, she only wished that some day he would realize that she was doing this to give him hope, to give him and everyone else a chance at life. "Oh! Congratulations on your little war!" Rumpelstiltskin taunted needlessly.

She wished she could explain this to her father in private, she wished she had time to make it better, to tell him good-bye, and most of all let him know how much she loved him. But before she knew what was happening she felt a hand at her waist, gently pulling her away from him, and one at her back, pushing her forward, ending her old life and beginning something new.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! For those of you that are just checking out this fiction, welcome! For those of you who are a fan of the Moments Series, welcome back! I hope you'll enjoy this fiction. It's the first in the Moments Series, a series that is an attempt at an accurate portrayal of Belle's perspective during the Once Upon a Time series. This fiction features everything that happened in the Enchanted Forest from the moment that Belle makes her deal with Rumpelstiltskin up to the moment the curse takes her to Storybrooke. 
> 
> The scenes that we saw in 4x06 and 5x17, Belle's past before Rumple, do not appear in this fiction, they are in a separate fiction, a prequel titled Moments Lost. Because it is a prequel when you read it is up to you. Read it before Moments Known and Unknown or at the end of the series. It's up to you!
> 
> Because I am working to keep this series as accurate as possible, there will be changes made to this fiction, new chapters added every hiatus and summer, as needed, to make sure it stays up to date. For now, we are updated through 6x09. If you want to continue to receive updates for Known and Unknown or any of the Moments Series fictions I've created a twitter account you can follow all year long! Follow Montreat11 on Twitter for updates! And if you enjoy this fiction, please review! I always enjoy those wonderful gems waiting for me in my inbox and I love writing back to thank you personally for reading and reviewing! It helps me know that I'm doing a decent job. Peace and Happy Reading!


	2. Terrible Endings and Worse Beginnings

The Dark One escorted her out of the palace, out of the home that she had known her entire life. No one came after her, no one cried her name, or fought for her. They had simply stood by and allowed this to happen. She didn't know if she was grateful or insulted by that. On the one hand she didn't think that she had the strength to force them to let her go again and insist on going with him, and she wasn't sure if she could bear to watch what might happen if they tried to stop him from taking her. But on the other hand she was somewhat flabbergasted that they didn't at least try. For that matter she was surprised no one had tried harder to talk her out of it! Not Gaston, not her father...he hadn't even sent one of his soldiers to attempt to reclaim her! It was...disappointing. But also fine. This was her decision, her fate, and it was decided.

Rumpelstiltskin kept his hand at her back the entire way: through the damaged halls, around the crumbling corners, in the ruins of the grand entrance, and finally out the splintered door, and before she knew it home was at her back. Outside waiting for them was a carriage, pulled by two horses, but without a driver. He pulled the door open and his accent suddenly changed from the cheerful childlike one he'd had upstairs to a strange one that she heard peasants in a forest, whose name she couldn't remember, using. "After you!" he exclaimed giving her a graceful bow that she figured was more to mock her than be respectful. He offered his hand to her, but she didn't use it. Instead she climbed into the carriage on her own, thankful she didn't trip over her long skirts. She wasn't of high society any more, she was just a lowly servant, and it would be better if she got used to that now rather than later. He loaded himself into the carriage and sat opposite her, then with a sudden precise hand gesture she heard the horses whinny and the carriage rolled forward at his magical command.

And so it was the end. This was what all the begging and pleading with her father had gotten her. It wasn't tension...it was imprisonment. She remained stone faced as they moved. She didn't shed a single tear. Not when she had left the palace and not now as she watched home shrink into the distance. She refused to take her eyes off of it until it was too far to see. The end of one life the beginning of another. She glanced at the thing sitting across from her and was surprised to find he was staring back at her; the tiny pupils in his eyes watching her almost curiously. She stared back, unwilling give him the slightest thought that she was afraid of him, because she wasn't. He was startling, and his reptilian gaze was disconcerting but frightening?! No, he didn't scare her. He couldn't. Nothing he could do would ever be worse than everything she'd endured over the last few years, her friend missing, her home destroyed, her family gone, her Kingdom in ruins, Anna...

"Where are we going?" she asked bravely, when she realized that neither of them were going to give up their gaze or blink first. She'd rather speak than dwell on the past.

"Home!" he responded before bursting into his nasally childlike laughter. No, it wasn't childlike. Children laughed naturally and without restraint, his was the exact opposite. Forced and controlled, like he thought that he had said something funny and he was going to laugh at it so that she would think it was funny too. Or that she would be frightened by the vague idea of the unknown. It was as if he was trying to put on a persona, as if he was trying to make her think that he was someone else. He was hiding something. There was something more there beneath the laughter, the accents, beneath even the deals that her books said he had made.

But she wouldn't dare tell him this, wouldn't share her suspicions with him. Who knew what she could expect from the famed Dark One?! No...it was best for her to just start collecting these observations, gathering the knowledge up and storing it for safe keeping, for whatever meager future he had in mind for her. The problem was that he seemed to be doing the same thing she was. His eyes cut into her like he could read her mind and see through to her soul. It didn't scare her, it was just…uncomfortable.

"And how far is 'home' exactly?" she asked, wondering how long this showdown would go on.

"Oh, never fear, dearie," his voice lost its accent and went so low it was like he was trying to sound as dark and terrifying as he possibly could. "We shall arrive in no time!" and once again the high voice had reappeared, punctuating each of the final three words awkwardly. Only, thankfully, after he answered her question he turned his head to gaze out the window. Was he aware of these strange mood swings and doing it on purpose? Or did they just happen? It was like he had a million different people in his head and couldn't decide which one of them that he wanted to be? Did he know who he wanted to be or what he wanted to do? Had he known that he wanted to take her with him before he'd even set foot in their palace or was it a last minute decision? Had he just looked for the most precious thing her father had in that room and stumbled upon her? Or was there a reason he wanted to take her? What could that reason possibly be?

The farther they got from home, from what was recognizable to her, the stranger she felt. The hours seemed to pass by both slowly and quickly and deep down she couldn't help but wonder if it was magic that was causing that feeling, if this was what it felt like to travel by magic. That thought made her uncomfortable. She knew that he was magical, her books told her that. She'd read tale after tale of the deals that he had woven together all across the land, but somehow she suspected that it wasn't the same kind of magic that she'd seen the rock troll use. This felt darker, more evil than that ever had. She didn't know how that worked, she just knew that it felt different.

On and on the time went. It certainly didn't feel like "no time" as he'd said but there was still that strange sensation of time passing too quickly and too slow at the same time. They had gone through forests and villages she didn't recognize and now they were on a dirt road leading up into the mountains. She could feel the air around them chilling as the open carriage rattled up and up. The sun was beginning to sink over the mountains and she was wondering how much longer it was going to be. Snow began to appear around her sporadically at first, in small melting drifts, but the farther they traveled the heavier and thicker it became on the ground. It hadn't been this cold yet when he had taken her away from her kingdom as winter had only just begun to arrive. But the mountains would be colder. He hadn't let her take anything with her. Nothing. Not a change of dress, not a personal item, and most desired at the moment, not even a cloak. Subtly she rubbed her hands together, trying to warm her fingers which were just now beginning to feel icy. She wouldn't ask to stop. She wouldn't ask if he kept a blanket. She didn't want anything from him. She didn't need anything more from him.

Suddenly she looked up as he gave another hand gesture. She expected the horses to slow, but they didn't. Instead, what the gesture seemed to trigger was a loud groaning sound behind her. She looked around. He was watching her again, but she didn't care, she was curious. It appeared the groan came from two massive wooden doors that stood at the opening into a large piece of land surrounded by a large wall. She turned in her seat and looked ahead of her. The horses obscured her vision, but she could see it. The dark gray image of a shadowed castle was rising up to meet them, growing larger and larger as they got closer and closer.

So this was her new life, her new home. This was what she had traded her village's safety for. It didn't seem too bad. It was a big castle. Bigger than her fathers had been. For sure she wouldn't have to face him all that often. Something this big must have a hundred different rooms in it, and a thousand nooks and crannies to hide away in. She could survive this. Yes, it was simple enough! She would spend her time as far away from him with as little contact as possible. She would only see him as much as he required, and then she could retreat and create a little oasis for herself. Surly she could manage that. She certainly had when Gaston had moved in.

When they arrived she expected them to go around to the stables or where ever it was that he kept the horses, if she was lucky perhaps they would become her responsibility, her new friends, but instead he stopped the carriage at the great front doors and got out. Just as before he held out his hand to help her down and she felt herself automatically reaching out to take it, without giving it a second thought that she should be stubbornly protesting his helping hand. Habit. But it was probably a good thing she'd taken it in the end. She was so busy staring at the castle around her she might have tripped or fallen if it wasn't for the steady hand he'd offered.

As soon as she was out, he wasted no time. He left the horses where they were, perhaps they would be back for them later, and walked swiftly and confidently into the castle. The doors swung magically open for him and when she turned back to take a final glance at the horses she gasped as she realized that they and the carriage had gone before the door closed behind her with an unnerving clunk, sealing her fate and her escape. No turning back now.

He continued to walk and she continued to follow, doing her best to look around the entrance hall. It might have been grand once but now it looked cold. The gray stone surrounding her was dark and gloomy, not even a small bit of the dying light outside managed to make its way into the room. A dusty table sat in the middle of it, a vase of dry dead flowers sat at its center. Any happiness or compliment they had once given the room had disappeared from their green veins long ago. She knew what she wanted to do in this room first. New flowers. At the very least they could keep away that musty smell that the dust carried with it. And maybe they would do more. Maybe they would provide a little bit of happiness in the days that followed. That was if he would allow her free reign of the castle. She hoped he would, otherwise it was going to be a very long eternity.

"Keep up, dearie!" he chimed from ahead. She realized that while she'd continued to follow him, in her efforts to look around the room she was lagging behind and quickly picked up her pace and fell in step behind him once more. The tall white doors in front of them once again opened on their own to a room that was not much better, but at least it wasn't worse than the entrance hall. It seemed warmer, but that could have been due to the fire lit in the grate. It blazed to life like it had been burning all along the moment he entered and she wondered if that was controlled by magic too. It was large, the walls were painted red and there were strange objects all around her: suits of armor at the doors, a spinning wheel in the corner, no doubt where he spun the golden thread he made, a rotting hand, a glittery looking stick, and two strange dolls that made her stomach turn. She quickly averted her eyes, preferring not to look into their wooden ones.

She'd fallen behind again. There would be lots of time, forever really, for her to look around and explore her new surroundings, for now she had one task, one order, and that was to keep up with him. The long dusty table could wait for later. And so, she quickened her steps again, catching up to him quickly. But she still couldn't stop her ability to see and she spotted a lone candlestick and clock against the far wall on a table. "Where," and a single, solitary chair sitting by the fire place, "where are you taking me?" she asked; and a cabinet full of dish items at the far end.

"Let's call it...your room," he said menacingly as he cast her a strange smile over his shoulder.

It didn't matter, the answer had caught her interest. She had a sudden wave of sadness for the room that she had left vacated at her father's palace. Her warm blankets, her soft mattress, and the friendly books that she had left behind perched perfectly upon their shelves, her favorites by her bed. She felt a great rush of homesickness wash over her at the thought. She'd never see that room again, never sleep in the bed, never read the books, and it was only just beginning to dawn on her now that she'd left behind the book she'd managed to salvage from the incident in the library the day her mother had died.

But at least all her hope wasn't gone. She doubted she'd ever be as fond of her room here as she had been at her father's palace. But at least she had a room instead of just a couch or floor to sleep on. Maybe this wouldn't be as bad after all.

He led her out the door on the other side of the room and down halls and sets of stairs made up of tan stones. They too were dusty and smelled musty, like water had somehow gotten in and never dried out completely. At the foot of the stairs she heard another door swing open and as she arrived down she peered inside.

Her heart dropped. This was a joke, a prank surly! But as he continued to watch her and not say anything to the contrary her fear was suddenly confirmed and her jaw dropped. The tears that she had managed to hold in until this moment suddenly threatened to spill over her eyes. This was awful. "My room?!" she assumed with an accusation in her voice, part of her still hoping that somehow this was a joke. But she already knew it wasn't by his smile. It wasn't exactly friendly.

"Well it sounds a lot nicer than 'dungeon'," he piqued. And before she could shout "NO!" at him and refuse to enter the small space that held only a wooden bed frame and thin mattress, he gave her a shove into the space. It had all happened so fast she didn't have time to fight it. Once she had finally gained control of her body she was able to turn around just in time to see him physically close the door and hear the snick of a lock that followed. Through the thick door she could hear the shrill laughter that he gave and his footsteps dying away. This couldn't be happening. This couldn't have been what he had meant.

"You can't just leave me in here!" she screamed at the door. But no answer came. "Hello! Hello?" Nothing. From a room fit for a Queen to a dungeon fit for a prisoner. Now she was truly alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, Belle's first interaction with magic. I have a preliminary map of The Enchanted Forest that I drew up once for Moments Exchanged. I have no idea how accurate it is but I always pictured that Rumple would live far away from Belle's town. I wanted him to use a different type of magic here, that is not just poof them to his palace, for two reasons. One, I figured he'd want to put his magic on display, sort of try to scare her and push her away so she'd be timid and fearful of him. Second I figured he'd want to try and disorient her so that he wouldn't have to worry about her running away. So I suppose this chapter is a bit of filler, but it serves it's purpose! 
> 
> Thank you to TSMenninger your awesome comment! I'm always happy to hear that ya'll like the story so far and I can't wait to hear what you have to say about the rest of the series! Peace and Happy Reading!


	3. Two of a Kind

She banged on the door until her hands went numb, until she realized that this wasn't some kind of joke, as the childish laughter had suggested. This was her reality. This was her new home. Now that she'd come to that devastating conclusion she found herself shrinking onto the floor, her body resting against cold stone and hard wood of her cell. She pulled her knees to her chest and wept, for nothing in particular, just everything: her mother, her father, Samuel, her home, her friends, her books, Anna, even a tear for Gaston. She hoped that it would be worth it, she hoped that her town was safe. She hoped this made up for everything that had happened in Arendale. Her life was over, but it would be worth it if tonight a mother could tuck her daughter into bed and promise she didn't have to fear the ogres anymore.

Suddenly the door to her cell clicked and opened unexpectedly and she found herself gripping the stone wall to keep from toppling over and falling against the legs of the Dark One. The sight of him standing in the door way startled her and she scrambled quickly to her feet wiping her tears away. While she had seen him as harmless in her father's palace, and even on the way here, that had all been before he'd thrown her into this dungeon like a common criminal. She still didn't fear him, judging by how everyone else on the war council had acted around him she knew that she very well might have been the only one not afraid, but his very appearance was still so shocking to her that it made her silent. She wondered if she would ever get used to it.

"Come! Come now, dearie, we don't have all day!" he cackled turning on his heel and walking away as she continued to straighten her dress. She really wasn't in the dress or shoes to be running after anyone. She really wasn't in the dress or shoes to be a glorified maid either, but for now it was all she had, all that remained of her previous life and she hurried to catch up with him regardless. If he complained about her attire or her sluggish gate then he would find himself in the middle of a fight to the death to keep herself together.

He led them down a set of stairs and through a number of hallways, not once did he stop to say anything or explain where she was. She tried her best to memorize her surroundings and even though so many of the halls looked alike, she thought she could find her way back to that dungeon, and from there to the door she had first come through. She was only a few passage ways away from the exit and somehow that made her feel better about the situation. Not that she would run away, she wouldn't risk him going back on their deal, but she felt less trapped and out of place knowing the exit.

Finally he stopped outside of a wooden door and she found herself panicking for a moment, wondering if this was another prank, another dungeon or something worse that he was going to toss her in. The dungeon wasn't pleasant but surely it wasn't the worst place that "The Dark One" had on his property. As he opened the door she nervously glanced around his shoulder to the inside. It was a kitchen, much like the one they had at her father's palace, only this one was not bustling with cooks or smelling of happy fragrances she'd grown up with.

He moved away unexpectedly and she jumped at the sudden motion. He seemed to do that a lot, she was going to have to get used to that. "I shall take my tea upstairs!" he said in a funny voice that almost laughed in its own way. She didn't understand the joke. He disappeared the way that they had come and she was suddenly left alone in the unfamiliar kitchen.

She stepped into the area, her new work space, and examined it. It was light, dusty but still friendly with a fire lit in the hearth. A table and a cabinet of dishes and china were present, they were clean but dusty. There was an old chair by the hearth, a pantry, one that led out to another hallway and a door. It wasn't much, but it was all she had to work with. Tea. Tea was probably a good place to start. It was simple and basic, she'd seen her nurse do it a hundred times in her life, and it gave her a chance to snoop around while she was waiting for the water to boil. She found a lovely tea set, white porcelain with a blue leaf pattern and trimming. It was beautiful, but it wasn't what she had expected for someone like the Dark One, she expected something colder, less delicate. It seemed out of place, like it simply didn't belong in a castle like this.

"That makes two of us," she muttered examining one of the tea cups as the water finally came to a boil.

Everything ready, she grabbed the tray and started upstairs, heading for the room that they had passed by on her way in. She was happy she'd paid attention on her way down...it seemed to have paid off. Soon enough she'd found her prison cell again and after a bit longer the same red room, where he sat at the end of the long table. Again, the sight startled her and she found herself stopping dead to stare at the beast before her looking into the fire. She hadn't meant to stare, and she knew it was rude, but somehow she really didn't care for formalities after he'd locked her in a dungeon.

"Come now dearie I don't bite!" he called in his unique childish voice. "Often," he added with a smile. Another joke that really wasn't all that funny. But nevertheless it succeeded in startling her into work again and she carried the tea tray into the large room, head held high. It was incredibly inappropriate for a servant to do, but she wouldn't let herself forget that she wasn't born to this station, there was royalty in her blood, and she wouldn't let him take it away from her.

"You will, of course, have a number of duties as my caretaker. You will serve me my meals and you will clean the dark castle," he ordered as she set the tray down. Then again it was hard to remember she was of royal blood when she was being ordered to do things that had never been her responsibility, things she'd never done before and had never imagined having to do. There was going to have to be a lot of learning involved in this process, she just hoped that he understood the situation well enough, and wasn't expecting her to be an expert on anything he requested of her just yet. She hoped her home wouldn't suffer for her imperfections.

"I, I understand," she muttered, trying, at least, to sound respectable.

"You will dust my collection and launder my clothing."

She glanced up at him as she poured the tea. "Yes," she nodded. Dusting didn't sound terribly difficult and she had seen her own maids wash the linens in the grounds outside her window weekly, it didn't look that hard.

"You will fetch me fresh straw when I'm spinning at the wheel."

"Got it," she nodded again. All she had to do was put some straw in a basket, not a difficult task. She smiled, cleaning she could pick up, dusting would be a breeze, and gathering straw wasn't exactly hard labor. The laundry and cooking would take some time, but she'd been served enough that she already knew how to serve. All in all, it wasn't that bad.

"Oh!" he piped, his voice becoming more childish again. "And you will skin the children I hunt for their pelts." The air left her lungs and her belly turned, she didn't have much in her stomach but she felt like it was a good thing considering she doubted that she could keep it in with that pronouncement. There was no way that she could do a task like that! It was just too evil for the likes of her. She was trying to refuse, to yell, to run even but she couldn't get the message to her stunned legs to move when he smiled and whispered "That one was a quip" with a strange little snicker. "Not serious," he added like he was proud of the way he had shocked her.

A joke. Just another meaningless joke! Hardly funny, but as the feeling of shock left her body and she started to breathe again she found herself smiling. Not because it was funny, because it most certainly wasn't, but because she couldn't believe she'd fallen for something like that. Her mother used to tease her like that all the time when she was a child, although never with such grotesque tasks, but if Rumpelstiltskin had been hunting and skinning children she was certain that would have been recorded somewhere in her books rather than his penchant for deals. It was a silly thing to have believed. It would appear that there would be more to learn than just laundry and cooking, she had to learn him too. She had to learn his personality, when he was joking and when he was serious. Though she wasn't sure how she'd even begin to do that when she just couldn't bring herself to truly care.

"Right," she breathed, suddenly aware that the cup she was holding was no longer in her hands and that she could feel wetness against her knees from the fabric of her dress. In her shock she had dropped the tea cup and spilled its contents on herself. She glanced down and spied it lying under the table, trying not to realize that her beautiful dress was now stained with the brown substance. She stooped down the pick up the cup and her heart leapt in her throat at the sight. She'd broken it.

"Oh...my..." the beautiful tea cup had a chip in it. It wasn't that big of a chip but she'd seen servants get struck for less. She swallowed as she examined it, better to tell the truth and apologize than to let him find out for his own one day, surely! "I'm so sorry, but, ah, it's, it's chipped." He was already leaning over his chair to see what had happened. She held it up for him to see, trying her best to manipulate the angle so that it didn't look as bad as it was. She risked a glance up at him, still sporting a smile and staring at her in a strange way. She couldn't tell if he was angry or upset with her. "You, you, you can hardly see it," she commented when he didn't respond to her, certain that if just being here was enough to get her locked in a dungeon then a piece of damaged property was enough to get her whipped for sure. She'd never had to worry about such things in the past, and now that she did she found herself wondering how she was going to live with the constant pressure of that hanging over her head.

"Well it's just a cup," he said suddenly, his voice lower than it had been before. She waited for a moment, expecting him to burst into maniacal laughter or tell her that he had been joking, but he didn't. When she looked back up at him she was surprised to see that he didn't look angry at all. He looked astonished, amused even. Like he couldn't understand why she was making such a big deal over a simple tea cup. She smiled with relief. It was okay.

She quickly poured another cup and stood in the corner while he drank waiting for him to announce that he was finished. But he never did. Instead, he simply rose and wordlessly left the room, leaving her to clean up. She took the tea, cups and all, back down to the kitchen, once again thinking that she was going to have to find a quicker way down at some point. Once she set the tray on the table she released a breath she hadn't known she was holding in. Her world was caving in around her, but she had to keep reminding herself that it would be okay. New didn't always mean bad. All she needed was a good night's rest to put her mind at ease and then she'd take it one day at a time.

She glanced over at the tea cup sitting on the tray. As she examined the newly chipped cup, she couldn't help but smile as she shook her head. They were two of a kind: two beautiful things that didn't belong in a place like this. She ran her finger over the fragile edges of the chip. It would be easy to place the cup up on a shelf, retire it, but somehow that thought saddened her more than anything. It wasn't broken, it was just chipped. She set the cup back down on the tray, putting it back to work, back where it belonged. Maybe like the cup she would come through this and realize that she wasn't nearly as broken as she seemed, maybe she too was just chipped. And judging by the reaction he'd had after she dropped, she found herself thinking there might be hope here after all. Maybe he wouldn't mind her learning curve as much as she feared he would.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once in every Moments Fiction there comes an A/N like this...let's talk about Belle's status in Moments. There are two thoughts for what Belle is, either she is a Princess or she is of noble blood. A&E as well as EdR have given interviews that suggest she's a princess and the show, while I think it leans more toward nobility instead of royalty has never denied it. So, in my effort to be as accurate as possible, I have chosen to portray Belle as a Princess in Moments and will continue to until we have have confirmation that she is only of royal blood. I am keeping track of when she is refered to as "royalty" so that when the day arrives that I find out I'm wrong, it'll be all too easy to go back and change it so that Moments is canon once more. In the meantime this is what it is...
> 
> More big thank yous to Heart_of_a_oncer and TSMenninger for the comments on the last chapter! As always it is my deepest pleasure to write for you and I always love knowing that the chapters and writing are being enjoyed! Peace and Happy Reading!


	4. The Nature of the Beast

The deal she'd made hadn't seemed so bad at first, not when she had chipped that silly tea cup and not even as he'd explained that she couldn't leave because of all the protection spells he had on the castle. "Try to leave or run away dearie," he'd mocked, "and the consequences could be...fatal!" he'd giggled with glee as the horrible truth finally sunk into the pit of her stomach. She was trapped, truly imprisoned, but leaving or running away had never been her intention. From the very beginning she'd meant to keep her word, she would stay, forever. And there was plenty to do with that forever.

First and foremost was learning her prison up and down. The castle was huge and she did her best to learn the layout to make it seem smaller. But it was impossible to learn in such a short amount of time, and she found herself lost more often than not. Once she'd even stumbled upon a hallway with no windows and no doors, only an archway that looked as though it might once have been a door only it was missing knobs and hinges. "Careful!" he'd squealed, sneaking up behind her and making her jump. "That vault has no doors for a reason. Only dark magic dwells in this castle dearie, if you're not careful you might just regret getting too close!" Unable to think of anything to say to him, she'd turned on her heel and stormed away, leaving him standing there alone. She'd gotten the message loud and clear. This was not a safe place. Though she did manage to find some escapes and happy surprises in her wanderings.

She liked the towers. There were many but she'd figured out how to get up into two of them. The first, she'd discovered quickly, he used. But he didn't particularly want her there and frankly she didn't particularly want to be around him anymore than she had to be. But the other one she'd found, on the east, it was empty. She found herself loosing hours staring out that window the first couple of days. The snow she saw when she first arrived had been a fluke, probably the result of an unusally cold night and storm, it melted within days of her first arrival but the cool air didn't disappear. Winter always came early to the mountains but from the tower she could look down into the valley below and see a small village enjoying what she assumed was beautiful autumn weather.

She thought about her own village often, the one she'd left behind. She'd heard nothing from the world outside of this castle since she arrived. Nothing. So while she sat around hoping that they were safe, that the deal she'd made with the Dark One had been upheld, and they were experiencing the beautiful weather just as that village was, she honestly didn't know. Had her sacrifice been worth it? Were they happy? Healthy? Rebuilding? Going on without her? She could feel her growing curiosity itching in the back of her head and as the week wore on it only seemed to get worse the more and more her patience had been tried.

Cooking, cleaning, laundry...it had all seemed so easy when she'd first heard his requests, standing there in her fathers pristine palace. But trying to learn to clean with a castle this large, with less and less sleep, with no word on the safety of her people, and no one to teach her how to do any of these things was too overwhelming! Learning all the things that he wanted her to do provided her with a distraction from her current predicament but it just wasn't enough, especially when the "learning" was more of an "attempt". And each day she kept getting the feeling that instead of improving her situation was worsening.

And of course he didn't help. He wasn't exactly torturing her, but he wasn't exactly being friendly either. They never spoke to one another. Not as two civilized human beings who were the only two occupants in a castle in a mountain probably should. And the few times he did speak to her he mostly just barked orders or complained.

A few days ago she'd started in the great room. Dusting hadn't been so hard, but the sweeping was, the sheer size of the room made sure of that. But she'd painstakingly moved things around in order to get to every bit of floor that she possibly could and that was the first time that he'd grumbled.

"Why is my wheel over here?!" he snapped when he came down for the evening.

"I needed to sweep," she'd explained. He hadn't said anything, just shook his head with something like annoyed disbelief, like he had no words for how angry he was because she'd moved his silly spinning wheel and it's platform! Nothing had been broken, no harm done, it was only temporary, yet he acted as though she'd set fire to the thing.

The next day she'd found a chaise across the hall in another room, stashed in a old corner completely forgotten about, and moved it while he'd been off somewhere doing...whatever it was he did with his days in the that tower. It was filthy, and smelled like it hadn't seen daylight in years, like the entire castle did. But she liked it. It reminded her of one back home that she and her mother had loved to lounge in to read. So she'd put it in the spot the wheel had vacated without a second thought then opened the curtains hoping a bit of sunlight might help. She'd finally figured out that she could clean the thing by hitting it hard enough to make the dust rise and blowing it away before it settled again. She was proud of herself...until he'd come downstairs, shielded his eyes, and sneered.

"What did you do?!" he'd snapped. It was a good thing she'd had her back turned because her jaw had automatically clenched together in frustration and she'd rolled her eyes. Why had he wanted a caretaker if he wasn't going to let her do her job?!

"Cleaned," she finally answered shortly, looking him dead in the eye, "what you told me to do."

"Why did you have to open the curtains?!" Her jaw had dropped. Did there need to be a reason to open the curtains?! Didn't he ever just open them to let the sun in?! He shook his head again when he saw she was speechless, but made no effort to pull them shut. He merely walked back over to his wheel and sat down. "This all goes back the way it was...tomorrow!" he'd yelled over his shoulder. "The curtains get closed, the wheel goes back to where I like it, and you'll have to find somewhere else to put that...thing!" he nodded toward the chaise.

She'd gone to bed upset. With him. With her situation. With everything! It hadn't been so bad when he'd locked her in this time, she was getting used to that, but as the darkness had claimed the cell and her mind had traveled back to her comfortable bed now left vacant, she couldn't focus on anything pleasant. All the negative thoughts, the sadistic actions, and demeaning situations weighed heavy as a thick blanket against her body but certainly didn't warm her like a blanket. She was cold, her dress smelled, the pitiful excuse for a bed and blankets were uncomfortable, and she couldn't find a way to sleep that didn't make her sore! She ached, her hands had sores on them, and despite being tired, absolutely exhausted, she just couldn't sleep!

No, it wasn't the evenings or the days that broke her, just the mornings, just like they had every other time this week. The light starting to brighten the small cell didn't give her any hope or reassurance, it only told her that she'd had yet another sleepless night and that was the last straw. Her nerves were on fire, she was tired, she was upset, and more than anything she wanted to go home.

She had done this to be brave, to be a hero just like her mother, but yet again she found herself breaking down into gut wrenching sobs that echoed against the walls and in her ears multiplying her sorrow tenfold. For the millionth time she asked herself if brave men dying on the battlefields cried. Did princes preparing to storm a castle for their true loves cry? Did mothers that sacrificed everything for the good of their children cry? Did a Princess that willingly gave up everything for her kingdom cry? Well, she knew the answer to the last one. She couldn't control it, and she wouldn't have even if she could. What did he care if she slept? What did he care if she was uncomfortable and wanted to go home?

He didn't care.

As long as he got his tea, the castle cleaned, his laundry done, his life the way he wanted it, then he had no care for her in the end. She clenched the pathetic rag of a blanket between her fingers, crying into it, pretending that it was one of the rich blankets she had been used to in her father's palace. But no comfort came. She didn't have the energy to pretend anymore. She didn't have the energy for anything anymore. And she really didn't know how much longer she could go on like this. She was going to die here. She just knew it. One day he was going to come release her for her morning chores and she would just be dead, from sleepless nights, exhaustion, and sadness. Death was the only hope for escape from this wretched prison. She was sure of it.

From behind her she heard a heavy squeak, and turned around to find him coming through the door. It was odd. Usually he flipped open the lock letting the door creak open, her warning that it was time for her day to begin. But this was different, he'd never actually come into her prison before. "When you so eagerly agreed to come and work for me..." she rolled off of her small bed. She wouldn't face him like this, with tears in her eyes and desperation on her face. No, the beast was her captor, and she would never face him with anything less than a straight back and a face of personal pride. She was a princess, and she hadn't been enslaved, she'd willingly volunteered. She could face anything he would throw at her, no matter what the cost, so long as he didn't undo the deal that her being there satisfied...assuming he'd upheld that deal. "I assumed you wouldn't miss your family quite so much," he commented in an annoyed tone.

It didn't make her feel guilty, it made her angry. Of course he would figure that! When she first arrived she had tried to make the best of her terrible situation. She believed he might not actually be as bad as she thought. But as lack of sleep slowly started to cloud her judgment, or maybe clear it, she knew that she had been wrong. He was a monster. What would he know about family and the love parents could have for their only child? Or the love a royal could have for her Kingdom? Monsters were incapable of love or affection. He assumed everything, but knew nothing. Her father was right-ogres were not men.

"I made my sacrifice for them, of course I miss them, you beast!" she shouted at the horrific creature. She couldn't hold in her anger or control her tongue. The agreement was that she would be here and look after his home, it never specified that she had to be respectful. If she was going to die here then she would make sure he knew exactly what she thought of him. She would hope that he lost just as much sleep over it as she did.

"Yes, yes, of course" he mumbled, her words clearly having no effect on him. "But the crying must stop," he insisted. She couldn't help but glare at him and his lack of emotion, "Night after night!" he accused throwing his arms in the air in a ridiculous flamboyant gesture. "It's making it very difficult for me to spin! I do my best thinking then!" he informed her. She could feel the look of confusion and disgust on her face. Oh, was  _he_  uncomfortable?! Was he also being held captive in a small dark cell?! His selfishness was outstanding!

She glanced away from him, furrowing her brow with a rage she could barely keep in control. She couldn't feel sorry if he felt like she had interrupted his life, made it difficult. In case the selfish dealmaker hadn't noticed, she wasn't exactly walking through a field of flowers and sunshine trapped down here every night either. And he should try doing his best thinking when sleep eluded him for as long as it had her! If he even slept at all! He'd certainly been up early enough to hear her tears, did monsters need sleep?

Suddenly a poof of purple in the corner of her eye caught her attention. She feared he'd been about to use magic to conjure something cruel, but sitting upon his hand suddenly was a luxurious white pillow, tassels hanging down from the corners. "Perhaps this'll help?" he asked offering it to her.

"For me?" she questioned, confused by the sudden seemingly kind act. She knew that she shouldn't take it. Nothing good would ever come from anything this creature did or said. But she was tired, and her body felt like it could give out from under her at any moment if she didn't get any sleep soon. It was like offering a piece of poisoned bread to a starving man. But then he didn't exactly give her a choice as he threw the object at her, forcing her to catch it before it could slam into her weakened form.

"Not quite so beastly now am I?" he scowled at her as he walked back toward the door.

She couldn't help but roll her eyes at him. Actually, if he didn't want to be a beast he would have given her a decent room. Even the lowliest of servants got actual rooms and not prison cells in her father's palace. But still, at least it would be better than sleeping on her arm and waking up to the numbness every hour or so. "Thank you!" she called after him, not allowing herself to feel any kind of gratitude. "Perhaps now I can actually get some sleep" she said with spite dripping from every syllable. She didn't care if he felt bad about the way that he'd been treating her. He should.

"No, no, no" he waved at her, grabbing her attention away from the pillow she was setting on her bed. "It's not to help you sleep," he corrected "it's to muffle the crying so that I can get back to work!"

For a moment she thought she might actually lash out. She could feel the tears coming on as she was about to scream at him that no one should ever treat another human being like this. She hoped that she had never treated any of her servants so harshly and inhumanely. Wondering if she'd ever behaved so horribly would haunt her for her entire life. She sneered at the person before her. Would it upset him if she only ever thought of him in such an evil way? She didn't care. She would shout it from the mountain tops with her last dying breath. He was evil, a demon, and she would never see him as anything more than the beast that he was.

But before she could tell him, something caught his attention and drew it away from her. It was then that she heard what had startled him. It was a noise. Someone was in the castle and from the way he darted out of her "room" it wasn't exactly an expected guest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, one of the things that I do with this series is try to keep everyone in character as I possibly can which means studying their personality and pathology and one of the things that I feel like I've noticed with Belle is that she doesn't do stress well and, to me at least, she really seems to suffer from depression. More often than never stress seems to grab her and pull her into a downward spiral which means that for her things seem to get worse before she shakes it off and everything gets better. That's what I really wanted to show in this chapter. She's a princess that has just been turned into a maid and is sleeping in a dungeon of course it's going to be terrible at first and her body is going to ache and hurt and she's going to get muscles she didn't know she had and sores from the works she's doing that she's never done before. But when the newness of it all passes and she is determined to find goodness in her situation and make it better instead of letting it get worse, things will turn around for her, she just has to get through this little bout of sadness first.
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	5. Don't You Just Love Magic

At the unfamiliar sound Rumpelstiltskin ran out of her cell and up the stairs. Her own curiosity got the best of her and she followed after him, quick on his heels, trying not to trip over her long skirts. Who would try to break in here? She refused to be frightened of the monster holding her captive but that didn't mean that she would ever voluntarily come here or break in! Sure, he had treasures, she'd seen plenty of them since she arrived, but she was certain that the risk of being caught would never be worth any of it!

She half expected to see an army. Surely no one would be brave enough to break into his castle alone, not without a lot of backup and reinforcements. But she was wrong. As they worked their way into the main room on the first floor she could see only one man. He was hooded, not that it helped to hide him with the curtains open, and he was picking up the magic wand. She couldn't say she was terribly surprised. Of all the things he had to try to steal it had to be the magic wand. Nearly everything in his "collection" seemed to be one of a kind, but this! This was different. It was rare, yes, but not unique. Though she supposed that for anyone trying to steal something it would be the obvious choice. The other objects might have some kind of power or magic but the only one that knew how to work them would be Rumpelstiltskin. A magic wand, on the other hand, was both magic and powerful. And everyone knew it. Finding someone to work it, or learning how to work it himself, wouldn't be very difficult.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Dearie!" Rumpelstiltskin warned with barely a hint of his strange childlike voice. The man looked up and pushed back his hood a bit. He didn't appear startled, although it did appear that he had been too focused on the object to notice them coming in. He stared at Rumpelstiltskin with strange hawk like eyes. On his back, he carried a quiver of arrows and a bow. It was a fitting weapon for the piercing gaze the stranger had.

In the face of the Beast, the man didn't flinch. Instead he smiled without fear and proudly removed his hood. "Pretty sure," the man replied confidently, the smallest bit of humor in his voice. He acted like he matched wits with evil creatures all the time. Here was a truly brave man. Admirable. And he was handsome, too. But what would a handsome, fearless, capable man want with a magic wand?

"If you don't know how to use that wand, it can do nasty things to you," Rumpelstiltskin warned again. It was like he was trying to give the man a chance, to put the wand down and run, but somehow she doubted that he would get away, even if he let the wand go. The brave man's fate had been sealed the moment he walked in the door.

"Well then, I'll stick to what I know works." The stranger slid the wand into the quiver behind him and exchanged it for an arrow. "Do you know what this arrow would do to you?" the man threatened. She didn't know it was possible, but the sight made her heart drop even more than it already had. What the man thought was a viable threat was actually his own death sentence. Faced with Rumpelstiltskin an arrow was nothing. She didn't know why he wanted the wand, but she wondered if the attempt had been worth it?

"Has to hit me first," her jaw dropped as Rumpelstiltskin seemed to suddenly vanish before her eyes. He was running. He was too fast to be seen but she could feel the speed of it stir the air around her, and the man turning this way and that trying to pin point his target. Finally he appeared in the room again, over by the far wall. He stood still, waiting for the inevitable she supposed though she couldn't figure out why.

"Shouldn't be a problem," the man stated, taking closer aim. "An arrow fired by this bow always finds its target," he explained with a deep contented sigh, "don't you just love magic," he taunted before taking aim again. He might not have seen it, but she did. The small coy smirk that Rumpelstiltskin was sporting. Magic against magic. There was certainly no good thing that could come out of something like that. She had a really bad feeling when he pulled back the string and released, and she couldn't help it, she jumped.

Her eyes stayed on Rumpelstiltskin, or they tried to until he disappeared again and suddenly reappeared behind the handsome young man. He was safe. Or was he? The movement of the arrow caught her eye and she watched, horrified and amazed, as it magically slowed down, and unnaturally did a loop in the air, automatically adjusting its course. Then it picked up its natural speed and plunged itself into the Dark One's chest. The sound of torn clothing and pierced flesh made her stomach turn. He gave a small gasp of surprise and she automatically started to run to him, thinking maybe that she could help in some way, although she knew little about wounds and medicine.

The man moved swiftly around him muttering "I know I do" as he marched off, a free man.

She couldn't believe this. Was he going to die? Would he really get away with this as simple as that? What would happen to her? A million questions passed through her head in less than the second it took her to make her way to him. But just as suddenly as he had appeared, he was gone.

"As…do…I!" The scream drew her attention to across the room, where she saw Rumpelstiltskin cut the man off, pull the arrow from his chest, and make it disappear with a flamboyant gesture. "But don't you know?" he yelled. "All magic comes with a price! In your case, that's me," he said menacingly to the man.

She knew that it couldn't be that simple. For a beast such as he to be taken down so quickly by an arrow was laughable really. And the man! He just stood there! It was as if he was still surprised that it hadn't worked in the end. She wasn't afraid of him. But she was scared for the man. She knew he wouldn't, but she found herself wishing against hope that he would let him go. There had been no harm done! He had never been in danger! He could take the wand back! All could be forgotten! He could let the man go!

She waited, and thick ropes suddenly burst into existence in a haze of black smoke and coiled themselves tightly around his legs and arms, even around his throat, cutting off any noises that the man could make. She watched horrified as Rumpelstiltskin removed the man's quiver and pried the special bow out of his fingers. As the man writhed there on the floor, helpless, he took the wand out and placed it back on its perch, heaving a sigh of what looked like relief that his precious collection was once again complete. It made her sick.

He turned his back on her, but not before she caught the evil glint in his eye. He walked over to the struggling man and bent down before him. "Don't you just love magic?" he taunted with an evil sneer marking his face. He pulled the ropes at the back of the man's neck and with unnatural strength dragged him off toward the dungeons. But not before shoving the bow and quiver into her arms, numbed with shock. "Do something with these, Belle," he muttered before disappearing through the doorway, heart wrenching thuds followed as the man's dead weight fell against the hard stone stairs.

She collapsed on the spot, the bow and arrows falling from her grasp and spilling out onto the floor. She gasped, clawing at her chest, her dress too tight as panic worked its way through her body. She felt like she'd experienced too much in the last hour. Too many emotions. Emotions that she had never felt before, had never wanted to feel, and frankly never wanted to feel again in her life. It was worse than the ogres! Tears streamed down her face as the first loud yell of pain reached her ears. The beast truly was a monster.

She hoped that her village was enjoying the spoils of a peaceful existence, that he'd upheld his end of the deal and they were safe. Because she was certainly paying for the magic that it had required. She inhaled a gulp of tears but it wasn't enough to keep the broken cry from her mouth. No, she certainly did not love magic. She never wanted anything to do with it again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not too much to say about this chapter. Pretty straight forward if you ask me. I did try really hard to show the evolution of their relationship and to not have her be drop dead in love with him from the first moment, only tired and scared and as I said before maybe a little depressed. I hope that shows through in this chapter.
> 
> Big thank yous to Heart_of_a_oncer for your lovely comments on the last chapter! They are much appreciated of course! And as always Peace and Happy Reading!


	6. More Than Meets the Eye

She tried not to think about what had happened for the rest of the day, tried to stay hidden away from him for as long as she possibly could, which wasn't difficult seeing as how he spent all his time in that cell with the unknown thief. She cleaned upstairs, unable to bear the thought of listening to the man scream. But she couldn't stay away forever. Dinner needed to be made, other chores besides cleaning tackled, and given the situation today was not the day to upset the cowardly beast.

She made dinner, or at least made it as best as she could. She knew what good food tasted like, she'd had it her entire life, so she also knew that what she was making wasn't "good food". He never said anything about it, but she got the feeling that he honestly didn't care, or maybe it was just that eating was beneath him in some way. A ridiculous habit he'd developed but couldn't stop. Still, tonight's wasn't going to be pleasant. She was too distracted to try and cook anything better than she had been. Every time she tried to think, a scream, or yelp, or wail, came from down the hall, down toward her own dungeon cell. She had no idea what he was doing in there with him, and she tried not to think about it more than she had too. She tried and she failed with every new sound she heard.

He didn't appear to have the same problem. Right on time she heard the door the cell open and lock closed and his footsteps ascending to the great room he dined in. She followed him upstairs, his dinner resting on the tray, and placed it before him. He waved his hand at her, like always, sending her away without a second thought. No, he certainly wasn't having any problem forgetting about the poor man he'd captured, or anything else that had happened today.

She wished that she could say the same thing, that it was easy. But it wasn't. She'd been raised better than that. The first bite she took tasted like mush and fell into the pit of her stomach as nothing more than a lump of rock, and she was nearly certain this time around her lack of appetite had nothing to do with her experimental cooking. It was that man, the so called thief, sitting in his cell. It was quiet now but his earlier shouts were still echoing through her mind and ringing in her ears.

A thief. A thief that had been caught red handed. A thief that she had witnessed with her own eyes try to kill another man, even if it was Rumpelstiltskin. And yet, after all of that, she felt sympathy for him. There had to be a reason for it! There had to be a reason that he'd wanted that wand! Especially if the growing feeling in her gut, the one that told her he wasn't a bad person, was right. She glanced down at the plate. No, she still didn't feel like eating, but she knew of someone who might.

He probably wouldn't like what she was about to do, but Rumpelstiltskin worked like clockwork. She knew that she still had about twenty-five minutes before he pushed back from his seat and either went to work in the tower, sat at his wheel, or maybe tonight returned to the man. She wasn't entirely sure why she was going to do this, what it was motivating her, but nevertheless she took a deep breath, gathered her own meal up on a tray, walked down the hall, and opened the door.

He was there, huddled in the corner of the room, his legs pulled up to his chest, his head bowed. He looked as though he was resting, sleeping maybe, until his head jerked up at the sound of her, startled. And he wasn't the only one.

She gasped at the sight she saw, took a few timid steps back because the man she saw before her wasn't the man she'd seen earlier. This man was different. His hair was lighter, his build bigger, no this was not the same man! "No!" he hollered as she opened her mouth again to scream. "No! No, no, see it's okay it's just me." She watched as he placed something over his neck, a golden chain of some kind and his appearance shimmered and changed once more. He was...himself again? Smaller, dark hair, his gaze was still piercing, looking her up and down carefully as if evaluating her as she was him. He looked beat down, tired, smaller than he'd looked when she'd first seen him. And there, just behind his gaze, for a moment she saw a familiar emotion. Fear. He was scared? Of her?

"Milady, I would be...especially grateful," he muttered quickly, placing the charm on the end of his necklace quickly down his shirt and out of sight, "if you didn't mention any of what you just saw to your master."

Any of what she just saw? What could she say?! She didn't even know what it was that she'd just seen! "What was that?" she asked, looking him over skeptically, trying to locate the little charm beneath his clothing.

The man smiled at her and looked wildly around the small cell. "Given my present circumstances I hope you won't take it to heart if I keep that information to myself at the moment," he answered with a small snort of laughter. Nothing about this man made sense to her. Why was he going on as if there was something funny? There was nothing funny about his situation to her! But still...confusing as he was she didn't think he was bad and yet his previous actions had spoken otherwise. "Please, I...Rumpelstiltskin mentioned he was going off to dinner, I thought it was safe and I might have a moment to...well, it's not important. I wasn't expecting you. If I had been I wouldn't have startled you. You have my deepest and most sincere apologies." No, he didn't particularly strike her as a terrible man. And her...

Suddenly she blinked, remembering why she was here to begin with and glanced down at the plate in her hands. Somehow, though she'd jumped back, the food had survived. And she still wasn't hungry. "I, uh," she swallowed, remembering the time limit, fearing what would happen to her if he caught her in this cell. She didn't care. She was already a prisoner. If he caught her, what more could he do to her? "I brought you some dinner."

She set the plate before him and the strange man looked to the dish she'd set down, then back to her skeptically. "I've never heard a tale of a mistress living in this dark place."

"Banish that thought!" she snapped angrily. She didn't care who he was or was not pretending to be. Mistress! Her? The impropriety! How could he even think such a terrible thought? "I'm just a servant, the caretaker of this estate," she corrected urgently, desperate to put as much space between herself and Rumpelstiltskin as possible. But the man didn't look at her any less suspiciously. In fact, if it was possible, he seemed even more skeptical of her! The corner of his mouth twitched as if he found something funny again. "What?" she questioned, maybe a bit too harshly. She was nervous, doing something daring and kind after what she'd just seen him do, and he was laughing at her?! What had she said?!

"I think," he said glancing down at the food she'd left him, "you are far too beautiful and dressed too elegantly to be a lowly servant." She didn't know what to say to that. It was a compliment, she supposed, but for some reason it didn't feel like a compliment. It felt like an accusation, like he didn't even know her and yet was accusing her of lying to him. She glanced down at the yellow gown she still wore. She still looked like a princess, even if she didn't feel like it. Maybe she couldn't blame him for thinking that she was lying.

"I promise," she muttered, leaning back against the wall and staring back at the pitiful man before her. "I'm nothing more than a servant girl." He did stare at her, but she matched his hawk-like stare this face's eyes produced and refused to look away. She'd let him search her gaze for the lie. He'd never find it because it simply didn't exist. Suddenly, as if he had decided she was telling the truth his gaze shifted, seemed less piercing, and more desperate. He reached forward, grabbed the plate onto his lap and ate. She watched as he greedily consumed it as though he hadn't eaten in days. The result of a life of a thief?

As if he was suddenly aware that he was being stared at, he glanced up at her and swallowed his last bit down. "I am most gracious for your kindness and your silence, milady," he whispered respectably then went back to eating quickly.

She didn't know what to say about her silence, but as for her kindness... "I'm sorry it's not better," she muttered when he finished and lay his head against the wall in what looked like exhaustion. "I'm only just learning to cook."

This time he really did laugh, not the childlike giggles that Rumpelstiltskin gave, but a rich, deep chuckle. "A caretaker that can't cook," he explained, "dressed in a fine gown with enough jewels to feed a small country, and an accent of a faraway land. There is more to you than you let on. What is it?"

"That's my concern," she insisted. He didn't need to know her story, especially if he was unwilling to give her his own or explain whatever it was that he was wearing around his neck. No, as far as she was concerned, the last thing she needed was to get attached to another prisoner if he was only going to leave when she couldn't. She should go, this was a bad idea. But she just couldn't make her feet move.

"Lucky for you I'll settle for your name," the man inquired instead. She hesitated, but couldn't quite be sure why. A name? What was the harm of a name?

"Belle," she finally answered. It was simple, but tasted strange on her tongue without the use of her title. But she didn't need it, not anymore. She was Belle. Just Belle. "And your name?" she asked hopefully.

The man only smiled again. "I am sorry, but once again considering the trade and reputation of the monster that owns this place I think that's a bit of information I'll keep to myself." His eyes snapped open and he stared at her as though afraid. "Nothing against you milady, you seem kind enough, I simply don't want to take any chances I can't afford at the moment or place you in any more of a troublesome spot than I already have."

Fair and clever, and yet disappointing. She didn't know why she'd wanted to know his name. Maybe it was because he was the first one that she'd actually held a decent conversation with that didn't include an order since she got here, or because she was curious why he'd done what he'd done, or maybe even because whatever the reason she thought he was brave to have tried what he did. But he was right. Rumpelstiltskin's collection of names might not make sense to her, but he was probably right to refuse to turn his over. Besides, that little sensible voice in the back of her mind, told her that names formed emotional attachments. Certainly he'd be gone soon, the last thing she needed was to make a friend in this dull place, only for him to leave. It was better not to make any at all.

"I can take care of myself," she insisted, stepping forward to take his empty plate.

"I've no doubt you can," he assured her. "In fact I've no doubt that anyone who faces the Dark One on a daily basis can handle themselves. So tell me..." and before she could fully right herself she found the man's hand tightening around her wrist almost painfully as he looked at her with that same piercing gaze again. "What does he have planned for me?" he asked with intensity and desperation.

She couldn't blame him, or even be angry for his bruising grip, but she did manage to pull her wrist free from his grasp as she looked down at him sadly. "I'm not sure," she muttered. She wished she knew. She wished she could tell him, but it wasn't like the beast to confide his plans in her. "You spent more time with him since you arrived than I have," she pointed out, recalling his screams and wondering just what he'd been doing and how much more was to come. "What did he tell you he wanted?"

The man shook his head slightly before resting it once more against the wall. He looked simply exhausted. "Just to know why I took the wand, or attempted to perhaps, who I was working for, of all things. He didn't seem to understand that I work for no one but myself and those who need me." Those who needed him? A man that worked for no one? So if no one had paid him to take the wand then why had he wanted it?

"Why did you try to take it then?" she asked.

"Certainly not to allow him a chance to show me such hospitable conditions," he was making a joke but she'd spent enough time here to know what it was: avoidance. He wasn't going to tell her why he had tried to take the wand. It appeared he would be keeping that tale as closely guarded as his name. But why he was locked up, she wasn't entirely certain that was solely to do with the wand. After all, unsuccessful thieves were sent on their way being laughed at, their shame punishment enough. They weren't thrown into prisons for extended periods of time. Certainly there was another reason he was here.

"You, uh, you did try to kill him as well, as I recall."

"I tried to defend myself!" he snapped back, his eyes wide with anger. "And against a creature like that, can you honestly say the world wouldn't be better off if I'd succeeded? That you wouldn't be better off?!" She didn't want to ever say something like that, but she also couldn't bring herself to lie either.

"He thinks you are a thief," she pointed out instead.

"Well, he would be correct wouldn't he?" She looked at him, shocked that he hadn't tried to deny such an accusation, but instead seemed to embrace it. "It's not the first time I've been called a thief, and it won't be the last assuming I get out of this mess," he explained away, looking around at his prison.

"You must not be a very good thief to get caught."

"It might surprise you that I'm actually quite excellent at what I do. I simply made one miscalculation. I didn't actually think you're master would hear me-"

"Don't call him that!" The man stared at her as she snapped at him. He wasn't the only one surprised, it wasn't until after the words had left her mouth that she realized she'd been the one to actually say them, and realized exactly what had caused her outburst. "He's not my master and he doesn't control my fate any more than you do," she proclaimed. "I'm here because of me, because of my own choices."

"See," the thief smiled again, "I knew there was more to you."

"And what about more to you?" she questioned, her patience suddenly fading. She'd given him answers, come in here to be kind, and in the end she'd given far more of herself away than she'd meant to. Why did he answer her questions as she had? "Good thief or not why would anyone try to break in here? Why would anyone steal a wand?!"

"For good reason."

"And what exactly might that be?"

But suddenly all he offered once again was that same smile. "That's my concern," he whispered, those same words she'd used when he'd told her his suspicions of her past. Fine then. The past wasn't her concern, just as hers wasn't his, but what about the present, or at least what had led him to this dungeon.

"And the reason that you didn't simply make a deal with him like everyone else on the planet-"

"Because I'll be in debt to no man!" he snapped angrily at her. "Much less a monster like that! Much like you, I am my own person and I don't wish to pay an over inflated price for something I can do on my own or something that should be done for free for the greater good." Now he sounded like her, like the insulted response that she'd given at the suggestion that she served a master. Maybe that was why she felt as though he wasn't a bad person. Maybe they had more in common than she thought. Maybe he'd simply been willing to make a sacrifice for some unknown greater good. Unknown...

Suddenly a new thought slammed into her. She didn't know if his sacrifice would be counted as worth anything, but she wanted to know if hers had. "Where are you from?" she asked hopefully, careful not to betray herself.

"All over. I go where I'm needed."

"Have you been to Avonlea recently?" she questioned. Small as it was she hoped that a man from all over would hear something of her home, of her people, and family.

But the man only shook his head. "That Kingdom has never needed my particular brand of services and up until recently they were involved in a terrible war, destruction of the entire Kingdom. It was unsafe territory to trod."

Her heart pounded and her eyes widened, hoping his words meant what she hoped they would, what she thought they would. "Until recently?"

The thief shrugged. "The ogres were removed not long ago. The Kingdom is rebuilding, but still well off without the threat." He paused suddenly and glanced over at her as if he'd just seen her in a new way. It made her nervous. Her Kingdom was safe. Her deal had been upheld, her sacrifice worth it. But did he know who she really was then? "Why is it so important to you?" he asked. "Do you have family there?"

"Something like that," she responded, trying to keep herself calm, to act as though his news was just news, nothing exciting or important. Nothing more meaningful than it really was. Her village was safe. What did her fate matter?

"You are a woman of many mysteries then," the man commented knowingly, "aren't you?" Her stomach turned. He did know. Didn't he? She couldn't risk it, didn't want to risk it. She knew it wasn't important. It didn't matter if he knew who she really was, that life was far behind. She just wanted to adjust to the one she had now and never be reminded of her past again! "And now you need to leave and not return," the man stated suddenly.

"What?" she questioned, the sudden change in his demeanor catching her off guard. She knew she needed to go, but he was the one asking her not to come back?

"Servant or something more I won't bear knowing that you are risking your life just to bring a thief food. You are kind and no matter who you are your life is valuable. Don't come back here and put yourself in danger again. Please."

She wanted to fight, to declare that she could do what she felt like when she felt, but he was right about one thing. She did need to go. Rumpelstiltskin would be back soon, and she didn't want him to catch her down here, not just for herself but for him as well. So she secured the dishes in her arms once more and with a sad swallow she listened to the man, reminding herself that she shouldn't get attached, she shouldn't-

"Belle!" he called out just before she could leave the room. Cautiously she turned back to look at the desperate individual. "I am grateful," he insisted with gentle, kind eyes, "for everything you've done and are doing for me, and for the meal. Don't underestimate yourself, it was quite delicious."

She shouldn't get attached to him, shouldn't make a friend, but she felt herself blush as she looked him up and down, taking pity all over again at the one kind word she'd heard since she arrived. "Thank you," she muttered, slipping out and closing the door behind her. Maybe she was too kind and he was too friendly for their own good. He wasn't a bad man, thief or not, she could see it in his eyes...both pairs of them. But there was something he was hiding, just as she was. Something more than a trinket hidden beneath his shirt and a different face to go with it. A sacrifice neither wanted to reveal to the other. But was it a good enough reason to be sitting in that cell?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh this chapter. it first appeared after 3x12 to explain why Robin Hood knew Belle's name when they really had't said two words to each other during this episode. I changed it again after 4x17 and the stupid clove came into the picture. From all of this two questions were still around. Why would Robin Hood know Belle's name and how would she recognize him if he was wearing the clove? I know what A&E's explanation is "they must have had other adventures together" to which I say "when good sirs!" I have done the math and calendars on this series FOR this series within an inch of it's life and there simply is no room. So, until the day comes that we see a Belle/Robin adventure (post the castle/pre Grumpy & Belle) this chapter is my explanation for both of those question. As always with this series, if the day finally arrives and we get a Belle/Robin adventure (which I strongly doubt we ever will see) I will of course move heaven and earth in order to adapt it to the series. Until that day what you see is what you get.
> 
> Thank you to Heart_of_a_oncer and Serafinasnape for your continued comments and awesome support of my fictions! It is greatly appreciated! Peace and Happy Reading!


	7. A Fighting Chance

She told herself that she shouldn't think of the man, shouldn't pay it any attention after she left his cell. He'd told her not to come back for good reason and she should honor his request. But it wasn't as easy as that. She couldn't stand the sounds of the screams that came from the dungeon. Cleaning the blood off the leather aprons he brought her made her stomach churn. And she couldn't live with his painful groaning night after night even when he was in rest. It only made her think of her small cell as comfortable and kind. And she refused to ever give in to such a crazy notion! He wasn't kind to give her a cell, it was terrible.

And it only made thinking about what he was doing to the thief even worse. From somewhere deep down she wondered if it was all part of another plan to scare her, to give her a taste of her own future. Because every time she heard him now, she couldn't help but wonder if her imprisonment would eventually include torture as well, if it would have had the thief not sent her out of the cell when he did and asked her not to return. Would it have been her screams echoing through these halls? Was he really this bloodthirsty?

She shook her head, upset with herself. A man was suffering and all she could do was be glad that it wasn't her! To make matters worse, she realized that she had possibly for the first time since she arrived here slept soundly through the night, her head placed upon the pillow he had given her. The only good thing that came from that the next morning was that she felt rested and clear-headed. She felt stronger, more capable of fighting rather than rolling over and just letting him walk all over her, or the man downstairs even. The windows were still open, his precious wheel still out of place, the chaise she'd found still in the corner. Frankly, with the way he was acting, the way that he was treating the man, she wasn't in a hurry to put things back the way that he wanted. Although she couldn't say that it wasn't on her list of things to do in the next couple of days.

He hadn't noticed yet, but she knew it was only a matter of time until he lost interest and let the man go. She might not have known how violent he was before, what he was capable of, but now that she knew it wasn't outside the realm of possibility, she didn't want to be the next victim on his list once the thief was gone, just because she hadn't moved the wheel and closed the curtains to the outside world. She had come to the conclusion, that on the day that he decided he would torture her this way she wouldn't go down without a fight. She'd run, she'd kick, she'd scream, she would do anything to get away, knowing full well that at the end of the day it was useless. Her protests would display her detestation just fine. But for now he was occupied, for now she was safe. And that thought alone induced more guilt in her than anything else she'd ever done. Including the day she let Anna die.

Another scream echoed up from the dungeons.

She kept sweeping, trying not to focus too much on it. Her entire life she had believed that no one was truly evil. Everyone, she firmly believed, had a little bit of good and a little bit of bad in them. But as another scream rose to her ears she found herself doubting that assumption. She wished it would end. Whatever he was trying to find out, obviously the man wasn't going to tell him or he didn't know. He should have let him go ages ago, not prolonged his release like this!

Suddenly he appeared in the door and she felt her grip tighten on the broom in anger as she tried to look busy, like what was going on didn't affect her. She hadn't prompted the man to steal, she hadn't ordered him to be tortured. She should worry about her own health, the way the thief wanted her to, and the best way to do that was to do her job. "I'm going to need another apron," he said sounding tired. Good, maybe he would give the man a break. He tossed gloves upon the table she had just cleaned and would now have to clean again and she cleared her throat pretending that she wasn't thinking about how terrible and inconsiderate he was.

"They're, uh..." she winced to see the wet red blood smears on the leather apron he was wearing now, "they're on the line." What exactly was he doing to him down there? "Drying," she added. "It'll be some time." Maybe time enough for the man to recover, or for his rage to cool. Maybe enough time for him to realize how useless and cruel this was. Enough time for him to come to his senses, assuming he had any.

"Fine, fine," he said quickly removing the blood stained apron. "Get to cleaning this one as well," he said tossing it on the table next to the gloves and rubbing salt into her wounds. So much for a clean table. "I'll be back later," she grit her teeth together as he strode away looking to leave the room. Something in her broke. She could handle a lot. She could take orders, deal with his inconsiderateness, but when they were coupled by the screams of a good person locked away in a dungeon being tortured every time she managed to clean an apron her temper flared.

"All this," she called after him in a stern voice, "because he tried to steal a magic wand?" she asked, hoping against hope that he would see senselessness in it all.

"No, because he tried to steal from  _me_!" he yelled, turning on his heel and finally looking her in the eye. "The Dark One. You try that you get skinned alive. Everyone knows that," he stated. She should feel disgusted, her stomach should be turning, but knowing that was what was happening in that dungeon she felt more than her anger burst to life once more sparked by the little bit of courage she felt she had.

"Actually," she told him clearly and confidently, the smallest hint of defiance in her voice, "no, they don't." She wouldn't appear weak. Not to him. If he was going to torture her as well, then so be it, but someone had to stand up for this man.

He stared at her for a while. There was a look of shock on his face, like no one had ever dared to speak back to him in that way before. It looked like the surprise from that small fact had thrown him for a loop, he hadn't been expecting that at all. Maybe it was the first time someone had yelled back at him. Nevertheless he seemed to recover quickly enough. "Well they will after they discover the body!" And with a final giggle he left the room.

This time her stomach knotted into a ball so tight it hurt. She'd been blind, stupid. She'd let her assumptions get in the way of seeing reality. She wasn't afraid of him, and although the thought that he might hurt her was now in her head, she hadn't always thought that way. She'd never thought that he would murder her and because of that she'd been simply assuming that he would treat the man the same way. That he would torture him until he had his fill and then release him however maimed and scarred he might be. But she was wrong. He wasn't going to stop. He wasn't going to set him free. He was going to kill him. That was the only way that this would end in his mind.

Here she was again. Standing on that cliff, the choice then had been her, her memories, or Anna's life. Now it was her again, her life, her health, her sanity...or the thief's life. How would this end? It wasn't a choice, not this time. She wouldn't make the same mistake twice. The desire for justice, proper justice, stirred within her. She was done with this, with sitting idly aside and waiting for it to happen. She couldn't bear it. She wouldn't! She already felt too guilty about how long she'd allowed it to go on in the first place. There was no way that he was going to let the man pay for this attempted slight with his life. And if he was going to torture her, if he was going to kill her, then at least one of them would have the chance to make it out alive.

Before her courage or her determination fled she ran down to the kitchen, happy that she appeared to at least have her common sense. After everything that he'd been through, she knew, he wouldn't make it very far if he was weak. Rumpelstiltskin provided all of the food she cooked last minute, but she could at least give the man a little bit of water to strengthen him. She just hoped he had the sense not to stay anywhere near here after this. He would have to get as far away as he possible could, as fast as he could.

She opened the door and glanced in, her jaw dropping at the sight. It appeared that Rumpelstiltskin hadn't found that chain that changed his appearance and the dark haired version of his face caught her eye right away. He was worse than she'd last seen him. He was suspended by chains bound to his wrists in the middle of the room, he looked exhausted and broken, and there was blood pouring from his mouth into his beard. His skin looked intact but she wasn't positive if that had been a joke or not. The man managed to swing his body over expertly so that he could look at her. He laughed weakly while she followed the chains and the rope attached to them over to the wall. She could do this. It would be easy enough. She could free him. "Did he send you to finish the job?" he asked with a laugh in his voice.

"Ah, no!" she cried, realizing that she'd been staring. She wasn't sure what that statement meant, or why he'd think it. Delirium maybe? But she suddenly remembered that she was here for a reason, and there was no time to lose...or think about what he was saying. "No!" she insisted moving toward him, hoping he remembered her a little bit, that she'd brought him food before and was a good person. She hoped the drink would help. "Here," she held the cup up to his bloody lips "drink this." He lunged forward as much as he could graciously taking the gift she was offering him. Once he pulled back she looked over her shoulder at the device on the wall holding him up. She hoped it was as simple as it looked. "I couldn't let this continue," she explained, setting the cup down and giving the wheel her full attention. "It's inhuman," she commented more to herself than to him but he gave a grateful laugh at her.

"I couldn't agree more," he said with a smile as she began untangling his bonds. "But I fear now he'll turn his rage upon you," he pointed out. Maybe he hadn't forgotten their conversation then, maybe he wasn't as delirious as she thought.

"If he does I'll stand up to the beast that he is," she said confidently, knowing that the words were true. She wouldn't go without a fight, and she wasn't going to let him die without a fighting chance as well. They were alike the two of them, one of them deserved to be out in the world, and if she couldn't leave, then he could. "Because no one..." the bonds slipped from her grasp finally lose enough to let him free. He fell to the floor, too weak to catch himself, and she rushed to his aid. "No one deserves to be tortured!" Not him. Not her. Not when they hadn't committed any evil crime.

"Well, he may beg to differ," he commented as she worked on freeing his wrists from the shackles.

"Well, I don't care," she muttered finding that too was true. She hated the things that he did, what he had done to this man, and the magic that he used. She'd let her tired mind and the sounds of torture cloud her instincts, but underneath it all she found that the original thought was still there. He wouldn't hurt her. She just had to trust her original instinct and not her fear. "He doesn't frighten me," she explained, making sure that she had managed to free him completely. She only hoped he was strong enough to go on from here without her. "Hurry up," she ordered "he'll be back soon." Or later. She had no idea when he would return but she knew that he needed time to be on his way, time to put distance between them. She'd clean up the mess here but this would all be useless if he reentered the castle only to find her escorting him out. "Hurry," she insisted harshly, helping him to his feet. He ran for the door, stumbling and limping, but sturdy enough to get to safety.

He stopped and supported his weight against the door, then unexpectedly turned back to face her. "But he will," he warned feverishly. "He will kill you," he said clearly even through his labored breathing. "Unless..." he took a deep gulping breath and she looked around him nervously. Why wasn't he going? Why was he wasting time? Who knew when Rumpelstiltskin would get back? He needed to go now! "Unless you run away with me," her heart fell. He was a good man. She had known it all along. He was simply looking out for her. Looking out for the woman who had kept his secret and brought him food, who had freed him. Did that make her his hero? Is that how he would remember her?

The offer was tempting, but impossible. Besides the fact that she was trapped in the castle, if she left, what would become of her village then? The greatest revenge he could take back on her would be to undo the deal they had made. Their safety for her compliance. She didn't want to think about what he might be willing to do if she left. "I can't run," she answered shaking her head at the man, telling him what she should have the first time they'd talked, when he'd stated that he knew there was more to her. "I made a deal to serve him in exchange for him protecting my kingdom and my family from the ogres," she explained, "if I were to leave I may survive but my family surely won't."

His eyes widened like he was overwhelmed with the information. She'd already given him her name and mentioned Avonlea and now the ogres, for all she knew he might have just put together who she really was. But he appeared to understand. There was no way out for her, no option, no hope. In his mind, her fate was sealed and he was leaving her behind to die. "Well then, all I can do is wish you luck," he muttered, and she could see that he was truly sorry that he could do nothing to help her out of this situation.

"Thank you," she said, feeling like she didn't need the luck. After all she had seen, all she'd heard, all he'd done, she still had a feeling deep down in her gut that he wouldn't hurt her. She just needed to remember that, to be confident in that feeling. But she knew that he wouldn't hesitate to harm this man. He had to leave, and he had to go now before it was too late. "Now go," she pushed him onward, "go!" He raced from the room and she peered around the corner watching him go. This time she'd made the right choice. This time she'd done all she could, the rest was up to him now. It wasn't much but at least she had given him a fighting chance at making it out alive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another wonderful and splendid chapter that I didn't need to do much for! It pretty much is exactly what we get on the show and I love it when that happens!
> 
> Thank you for your kind comments on the last chapter Heart_of_a_oncer I'm always happy to know that the chapters I add in are liked and that they make sense to the rest of the world and not just to me. Peace and Happy Reading!


	8. Having No Fear

Days ago, when the strange man had showed up she had consigned herself to an inevitable death. But after freeing the man, she had a new warm hope in her life. She couldn't stop his abysmal behavior toward others but she could help them wherever she could. She didn't know if this was a normal thing, holding prisoners in his castle, but if it was she could be the respite that they needed, the one to bring water and food, and on occasion set them free when they were being held captive without proper cause. She'd done a good thing, but she had a feeling that he wouldn't see it that way.

No, she didn't fear him. But sometimes she wondered if it was really a good thing after all.

When he returned from wherever his errand had taken him he was sporting one of the leather aprons she had fetched from off the line. He started to pick through the tools she had cleaned after she'd freed the man, but didn't seem to pay her much mind. That was fine with her. It wouldn't be long until he discovered what had happened and she would learn if her gut instinct was right and just how far he was willing to let her go. Or if she would end up in the thief's place. She would either be dead and that was that. Or she'd be alive…and that was that.

"Well I shouldn't be too loud," he said menacingly, acknowledging her presence in the room. The tone once again suggested that he was trying to scare her, but she mustered every ounce of bravery she had inside of her. She couldn't lose it now, there was always the chance she'd need every bit of it soon. "Can't promise the same courtesy from our prisoner," and with that he left the room.

She didn't fear him, but that didn't stop her heart from pounding with anticipation. She guessed she had only a few more minutes until she got her answer. If these were her last moments on this earth then she wouldn't regret it, she'd freed the man, he was safe because of her, her village was safe because of her, if she died she knew that the world would be a better place for some of the souls she left behind because of her which was more than she could say before she'd arrived. She'd taken a book from the shelf next to the fireplace yesterday, it was on plants and vegetation, hardly a book she would have given a second glance to in her past life but it didn't matter to her, she'd rejoiced at the feel of holding a book in her hand and it was certainly better than any of the other books he had there on magic. She gazed down at it now, but found that distraction wasn't enough. She wasn't really reading the words. She was waiting, just waiting. It would happen any minute now…or rather any-

"Belle!" His loud angry voice suddenly rose from the dungeons. It had happened. He stormed back into the room, clearly furious, but she held her head high and watched him, fighting her natural instinct to shrink away from the beast and protect herself. That would be what he expected, it was what he was trying to make her do, but she wasn't going to make it that easy for him. She had no regrets, no matter what happened to her. "Where is he?!" he demanded.

She took a hesitant swallow and deep breath before answering quickly with false confidence, "Gone. I let him go."

He stared at her, looking confused and bewildered before his face gave way to contorted rage and anger. "What?!" he questioned like it was the craziest thing he'd ever heard. "He was a thief!" he pointed out truthfully, but she wouldn't back down to logic like that.

"Which doesn't give you the right to kill him," she countered, her own frustration at the entire situation leaking out of her words. Even if he had successfully stolen something it was certainly not a crime punishable by death and torture!

"It gives me every right!" he screamed, making ridiculously large gestures. She could see that he was angry, but it still didn't scare her. She was still here wasn't she, she was still alive, she hadn't been killed on sight. And strangely enough it wasn't fear that she felt; it was irritation. Had he not been in the room she would have rolled her eyes at him. She'd seen a small child have a fit like this once. Although everyone else had winced and coddled the child she'd shaken her head at the ridiculous tantrum. There were worse things in the world than not getting your way. "Oh let me guess!" he continued to ramble "you think he's a hero! Stealing from me for some noble cause! You read too many books dearie! There!" with a wave of his hand the book in her lap disappeared in a puff of smoke. "Maybe that will stop poisoning your head with poisonous thoughts!"

She didn't know what to do. She was stunned for a moment. Part of her wanted to cry. It hadn't been long since she'd found the book but it had brought her a small amount of joy while she'd had it. She'd already been just as attached to it as she had any of her other books in her father's palace. Now it was gone. It had paid the price for her choice. But...

Another part of her wanted to laugh hysterically. That was it! That was the greatest punishment that the dreadful Dark One was going to subject her to?! Take her book away like she was a child and she'd learn her lesson?! It was foolish really. Comical. And it told her everything that she needed to know. Her instincts had been right. He wasn't anyone she had to fear. Others might be afraid of him, others might bend to his will because of it, but if all she had to worry about was a simple slap on the wrist, that was nothing! Why he wasn't going to hurt her made little sense to her, but if it was working in her favor she wasn't going to question it. She would use it to her own advantage, see if she couldn't soothe the beast so she could have some nice quiet time to go off and mourn the loss of the beloved book on her own. And if he happened to see reason and give her the book back...then that was just fine with her.

"I didn't free him because of what I read in my books," she corrected stubbornly. "I saw good in him," he looked at her like she was speaking a foreign language, then again when speaking about kindness, she doubted he really did understand the meaning of the word. "That man only wanted to escape with his life."

"Oh, was that what you thought?" he taunted. "Well he escaped with more than his life!" he pointed out to her the pedestal upon which she knew the wand sat. Her stomach plunged.

It was gone.

He had stolen the wand after all! This was bad. She felt her face wrinkle in shock and even hurt. In showing him kindness he had left her to deal with the consequences, whatever they might be. But even worse he'd...he'd..."You were tricked! Foolish, gullible girl!" he yelled at her.

Had she? Had she really been tricked? The man was good, she believed that, she still believed that. He had wanted to save her too, to take her with him. He knew that she was risking her life to help him, the first time she'd brought him food he'd asked her not to return so she wouldn't get caught! He was a good man! So why would he make her situation more difficult by taking the wand with him. There had to be a reasonable explanation for all of this. Some reason that made the cost of stealing that wand worth the pain and destruction he knew he'd leave behind. That was what he'd been hiding when they'd spoken, the reason he'd wanted the wand! At least, she hoped that was what it was.

"There, there must be an explanation," she stated, tripping over her words. "We, we don't know why he needed that wand," it was a feeble excuse but it was all she could offer at the moment while she was still processing what had happened.

"He took the wand because he wanted magic!" he yelled, this time she clenched her jaw together in annoyance. He didn't frighten her and she wished he would stop trying to. She was tired of the yelling and screaming. It only made him sound more ridiculous, and arrogant, and self-centered. "People who steal magic never have good intentions!"

"No!" she found herself yelling back, slightly shocked by her own boldness. "No, you can't tell what's in a person's heart until you truly know them." She didn't believe the man was bad, or that he was going to use that magic for the evil that Rumpelstiltskin must have intended it for. But what did she know? After their one conversation, she knew nothing about him. Not his name, not what he hid to conceal his face, not why he'd tried to steal the wand, and certainly not what he'd wanted it for. But she had gotten to know him in some way, and she had to trust the first instinct she'd had. He was a good man.

"Oh, we'll see what's in his heart alright. When I shoot an arrow straight through it! And because I am a showman..." in less than the blink of an eye purple smoke swirled around his hand and when it cleared it revealed that black bow the thief had come in with. "It'll be with his bow! And because this is your fault you get to come with me and watch and know as the blood drips from his carcass, it'll be you and your rags to wipe it up!" he screamed before walking away from her.

Suddenly she felt terrified. Not because of him, she kept reminding herself that she was still alive and that spoke volumes as to what she could get away with. But she was scared for the man. She was scared for what would happen to him now. Why couldn't he have just left that wand alone?! There had to be a reason for why he had taken it?! She only hoped that the reason was worth his life! It wouldn't have been worth it for her, but she also didn't know the situation that required it. From across the room Rumpelstiltskin looked back at her. "Come, come, now dearie we don't have all day!" he beckoned, his voice suddenly cooler and collected. His personality shifts happened so quickly sometimes that she felt dizzy.

Stifling her frightened tears she moved slowly over to him, following him out the door, only slightly aware as the fire magically put itself out as she passed by it. Freeing the man had been the right thing to do. She only wished she had thought to hide that blasted wand before she had done it. He might be willing to excuse her, give her a free ride for her actions, but this man was going to die, unless she figured out a way to stop him. But looking at the beast marching ahead of her, she hadn't a clue how to do that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These chapters really do make me cringe because of just how terrible the Dark One is to her before the good ole Rumple we know begins to take over. But the good thing that comes from this I believe is that we get to really see Belle learn the first lesson that I truly believe will enable her to go forward and deal with him and see past him. No, it's not that he won't hurt her (although that lesson doesn't hurt either) it's that she can push her limits with him. She can stand up to him and break the rules, she has leeway with him. I think it was the first step in making her feel more like a caretaker and less of a prisoner and it'll allow her to really feel like she was meant to do this job rather than what she would have done because I do believe she finds freedom in it.
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	9. The Voices of a Thousand Years

He led them quickly out of the castle and out the front doors. Before her, suddenly, was a carriage pulled by horses, like the one that had originally brought her here. She knew for a fact that he didn't have any life stock anywhere on the grounds, she'd looked for them when she first arrived, but their sudden reappearance didn't surprise her, she was certain that his breed of magic could conjure just about anything. He'd probably made them from mice. He opened the door and indicated with his hand that she should get in.

The chill of the harsh mountain weather made her skin pucker with goose bumps. Looking behind her at the warm castle she was leaving behind regretfully, she made an effort to cover her bare arms with her hands. It wasn't the first time that she'd wished she'd been able to grab a few of her belongings before he'd taken her away from her royal lifestyle. It wasn't winter yet, but living in the mountains made it constantly cold, she didn't even want to think about how cold she'd be when the real winter weather arrived.

"Come dearie, you've given the thief enough of a head start already!" he ordered with his high squeaky voice, the comment was clearly made to make her feel some kind of guilt or shame but she honestly felt none. Deep down all she wanted to do was yell at him, to shout, and insult him with every breath she had, but a night of good sleep and the sheer fact that she was still alive after the moment he found out she'd freed the prisoner was enough to make her think that just yelling and screaming at him wasn't going to free the man from this hunt. He was determined to find him and if she was too irritating then he would leave her behind and go on without her. She had to be on that carriage, she had to show him that it was not worth it to go after the thief. She'd freed the man, now she had to save him.

So with an irritated sigh, she squared her shoulders, still shivering in the wind and boarded the carriage. "You do know this is madness don't you," she spat through gritted teeth as she pulled herself up ignoring the hand he'd offered to her.

"You'd be surprised how often justice is mistaken for madness," he commented taking the seat opposite her and closing the door.

"Or madness for justice," she mumbled. He didn't appear to hear her. With a hand gesture the carriage jerked into motion and they were off.

"Make yourself comfortable dearie, we've got a long journey ahead of us," he said closing his eyes and leaning his head back, like the idea of going after a man to kill him was all needed to have sweet dreams for the rest of their travels. She shook her head at his nonsense. She had to bite her tongue to keep from lashing back at his ease with some kind of retort.

The weather was a fair distraction. There was a cross breeze coming into the open carriage and it let the cold air wash across her exposed skin. She crossed her arms across her chest trying to use her body heat to keep her warm, but nevertheless her body still trembled in the chilly air. She really was in the wrong kind of dress for a journey like this. "Easy to say when you at least have the courtesy of a jacket," she muttered to herself, making the mistake of thinking that he was asleep.

He wasn't. He opened his eyes and they raked up and down her for a moment before he scooted forward. "That..." he said suddenly with a flourish of his hand, "is an excellent point!" Suddenly her body was covered with that same purple magic she'd seen him use for her pillow and the thief's bow. She jumped in shock and when it dissipated she saw that she was wearing a thick cloak that covered her shoulders and traveled down the length of her gown, adding weight and heat to her lap as well as sheltering her bare skin. There were slits in the front that allowed her arms to stay free but they too were covered with warm leather gloves that ran up to her elbows. She turned her arms around and moved her hands over the cloak, noticing that it even had a hood for rain or snow they encountered.

She wanted to be angry at him, to be upset with him, but she'd been raised better than that. "Thank you," she muttered bitterly.

"Oh, don't thank me quite yet dearie," he sneered looking her over. "The fastener on your cloak is as much for me as it is for you," at the remark she glanced down at it's intricate weaving but didn't see why it was so important to him. A clasp was a clasp, wasn't it? "That fastener has a tracking spell on it, dearie. Try to run away on our little outing and I will always know where to find you!" And with that his head fell back against the carriage again. She didn't respond to that, she could only stare at him as she let the cloak warm her skin and bones. Running away wasn't an option and never would be, she knew that! She knew better. All she could really do now was hope that she could save the thief, keep Rumpelstiltskin from ever learning his location. She needed to believe that she could.

"He's difficult to find," he muttered off handedly a few hours later. "The wand could be doing that."

"Then maybe we shouldn't bother to go after him." She honestly was sure if he was talking to her or just thinking out loud but she didn't care. The way she saw it she had to take every opportunity she had to convince him to end this foolish mission. She only wished he saw it that way.

"Not necessary," he insisted. "Finding him just requires a bit more information. From you!" he pointed suddenly with a little giggle.

"Me?!" she questioned confused, but there was no doubt in her mind he was talking about her. He was, after all, pointing at her, and it wasn't as though there was anyone else in this carriage. Still she didn't know why he would think she could help him, or even if she could why she would.

"You had a conversation with him." Her heart stopped and she felt her eyes widen. It was as if someone had reached inside her lungs and pulled the air out with a quick tug. He was right. She'd had a conversation with him, but she'd been careful enough to have it so that he'd never know that she had talked to him! Or at least she thought she'd been careful.

"You knew?!"

"Well, of course I knew!" he said with a smile and nasty jesting tone. "It is  _my_ castle! Nothing happens in it without my knowledge!" And she'd been foolish to think that she could have spoken to him without the Dark One finding out about it. So, did that mean he knew about the thief's disguise as well?! "Now..." he said, his voice lowering into an almost gentle tone and leaning forward in anticipation, "tell me the name of the thief."

She remained silent. Her chest was suddenly filling up with something like happy pride, or maybe just thankfulness that the man had thought of this before she did. Maybe there was a good reason he'd chosen to conceal his identity as he had! Either way, The Dark One had been outsmarted "in his castle"! He didn't know as much as he pretended to. "He didn't give me one," she stated clearly enough with a happy smile. He clearly didn't share her happiness, his eyes suddenly seemed to flash something like surprise before he stared at her darkly.

"That's a lie," he hissed through a clenched jaw.

"It's not," she answered honestly with a happy smile. He didn't know everything then! He knew she'd gone into that room. But he didn't know what had been discussed!

"It can't be," he sneered. "You spoke-"

"As he ate dinner, yes, we spoke," she interrupted. "But he told me nothing of importance. No name, no home, no reason for wanting your wand." He opened his mouth to say something but she shook her head and snapped "it's not a lie!" before he could accuse her again. And it wasn't. He hadn't told her anything of importance, the one important thing that she knew of his identity, his true identity, she'd seen for herself. She hadn't told any lies and frankly, she'd only caught a quick flash of his other face, she didn't even know she would recognize it if she saw it again.

Rumpelstiltskin looked her over but didn't say anything. Then just sat back in his seat and sighed as he gazed out the window. If she had to guess she would say that he was frustrated or maybe disappointed. She'd won again, challenged his authority and come out alive on the other side. Was this the third time then? If he'd known that she'd talked to the man and done nothing to stop her or punish her, then freeing the prisoner wasn't the first time she'd stood up to him and gotten away with it. That had that been the first time? He hadn't ordered her against it, and he'd known about it, but it hadn't gone over as he'd planned. Did that mean it counted? Was that why he was frustrated? She glanced over at him, with that same distant disappointed look on his face. Or had she gotten away with it?

"Is, is that why you brought me with you?" she asked. "For information? Because you thought I'd help you catch him after I'd set him free?"

"You are here," he answered immediately, his voice raising as he stared at her with those unsettling eyes, "because you set him free. Of course I'd hoped you'd learned something useful," he muttered angrily under his breath, "but it's no matter. A name is something easy enough to collect...if I need it. For now I can track the wands magic, that should lead us straight to the thief."

"If I didn't know any better I'd say you cared more for the thief than getting your wand back."

He didn't answer her, merely looked out the window again, which only made it easier to hide her smirk. He wasn't nearly as powerful as he pretended to be. Oh, he had power, there was no doubt about that, but he didn't know the man's name, he knew they'd talked but didn't know what they'd talked about. And for whatever reason, he didn't force his power on her. There was something more there, and if it would help the thief she'd find it. No matter what it took.

Their journey was indeed "long". For the next day or so it was easy and predictable but dull. When they'd first left she assumed that it would take only a few hours to find the man. How far could he get on his own?! But as they days passed they continued on out of the mountains and into the valley where it was warmer but still cool. They passed through a small villages and finally into a dense forest. When the horses needed rest, they stopped. When they got hungry, there was food. When they passed wells and springs, they drank water. They said very little to each other. Usually he just spat an order to her: "Eat", "drink", "sleep". But he also left her alone when she needed it and always held out a hand for her when she had to get in or out of the carriage. It was something so gentlemanly that it was hard to believe he would do it. But even if they weren't talking, she was watching, she was observing, noting that the farther they strayed the lower his voice got, losing its normal high giddy tone.

It was like he was two people. The high-pitched, giggling, funny voice, the one that changed accents, that was the voice of the beast. The voice of someone who knew more than he let on, who had secrets, and a terrible temper. But the lower voice, the monotone voice, was the serious voice. The voice that belonged to what he was underneath the mask he was wearing to the world. It was that voice that belonged to the person who held the hand out for her, gave her pillows and cloaks for warmth and comfort, and had allowed her to live after doing something so unforgivable as releasing his prisoner. The voice surprised her so much that she wondered if he was even conscious of the fact that he was using this voice around her. And after a time learning the difference between these two voices, she found herself thinking a strange thought. What if there wasn't just another beast, or creature, underneath his mask. What if there was a man underneath the harsh exterior? No one was that evil, maybe he wasn't, and maybe the evil had simply taken root into what might once have been a kind and good heart. The thought shocked her. And it also gave her an idea.

The beast might not want to let the thief go, but would the man?

Amid her dull ponderings, something suddenly seemed to catch his interest and he jumped to attention, sitting forward and looking around the woods that they were in with interest. "I'm losing track of him," he muttered, like it was something that she should have been concerned at or felt guilty for. She didn't, in fact, she had to fight to point out that he would have needed her information after all. "This forest is too thick," he complained agitated, as if sensing her thoughts and coming up with an easy excuse.

"Maybe we should return home," she suggested again, innocently enough.

"What and let the thief escape?" he asked her, using one of his funny accents. If there was a man hidden under there somewhere it was under layers and layers of time, secrets, and terrible deeds. And she wondered if it was even possible for him to be recovered. "What would people think if I spared the life of someone who stole from me," he told her using his serious voice. But he didn't mean to threaten with his words, he was looking at her like he was trying to teach her a lesson, to see reason. To him this adventure made perfect sense. But she was certain, she wasn't the mad one in this carriage. It was her that needed to show him reason.

"That there's actually a man hiding behind the beast," she argued back, standing firmly in the hunch that she had, the suspicion.

"There isn't," he responded quickly.

"Then why didn't you kill me when I freed the prisoner?" she asked smartly. It was the only explanation she had for why he hadn't killed her. The beast might have wanted to, the beast would have, but maybe the man had stopped him. Maybe he wasn't completely evil.

"Ah, well I would have, but, ah, good help these days is really hard to find," he argued back intelligently. He seemed just as skilled with his words as she was. But she wasn't going to stand down, not with the man's life on the line like it was. And besides, he seemed to be enjoying the banter between the two of them. And when she asked him about why he hadn't killed her, he had responded with the voice she associated with jokes. Which meant that he hadn't told her the truth about why he had spared her.

"I think that you are not as dark as you want people to believe," she confessed optimistically. "I think that deep down there's love in your heart, and for something more than power." He was looking at her like she was crazy but there in his eyes there was something else hiding. Fear. Had she got it right? Had she uncovered a secret?

Suddenly he leaned forward slightly. "You're right," he said in his low voice. "There is something I love," she could have smiled. She had the sudden urge to sit next to him, to take his hand and learn about everything that he really cared for. To coax it out of him until he understood that she was a safe person to tell all his secrets to, because she would never tell another soul.

But just as suddenly as that urge came it was gone, leaving her stunned at her thoughts. Where had that feeling come from? She shoved the idea from her head quickly as she could. It didn't matter he had something to tell her, she could tell in the way he was leaning in closer to her. She did the same, curious about what could occupy the space in a heart as black as his seemed to be. It had to be something grand, something powerful. She raised her eyebrows expectantly, urging him to tell her. But instead of telling her honestly he suddenly exclaimed "my things!" in the false voice that said he was lying. But it was too late, he'd revealed something whether or not he'd wanted to. The original was true, there was something that he loved, but it most certainly was not his things.

She sat back in her seat, disappointment making her shake her head at him. She was foolish to think that he would tell her the truth, to have expected anything less than a joke from him. The way he treated torture and death it probably was a joke to him. He held up his hand and she heard the horses whinny as the carriage slowed to a stop. They were still in search of the thief, and if there was a man under all those safe layers he had built around himself, she was having a hard time seeing him. Her hope of saving the man was dissipating every second.

"You really are as dark as people say," she sneered. She hadn't meant for it to come out. It was just a thought that popped out of its own volition. But she found herself not regretting that she had said it.

"Oh darker dearie," he told her in a whisper that was equal parts lie and truth. She didn't know what to make of the comment or of that voice. "Much darker," he added as he made to exit the carriage. Maybe this truly was hopeless.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is another chapter that has been edited a few times mostly just to accommodate other chapters that have been edited in. Obviously we see things like the introduction of the clasp from the comic and the addition of Belle's knowledge or lack thereof of Robin Hood. But I love this chapter because I feel like it's an awesome way to introduce Belle to Rumple, to really get her to get to know him and his voices to begin to learn that there is more to him than the monster that she sees. Confusing as all this is for her it really is her first glimpse of something more inside of him.
> 
> Thank you thank you thank you to Heart_of_a_oncer for your comments on the last chapter! I'm glad you enjoyed it and I'm thrilled to know that you are liking this story! It's one of my favorites in the Moments Series, I just wish I didn't have to edit it so much! Peace and Happy Reading!


	10. Not That Kind of Deal

She didn't want to be here and she was giving up hope that she could change the beasts mind. She knew that getting him to see himself as more of a man than a monster was the key to saving the thief's life, but she was having a hard enough time believing that any part of him was a man at the moment. And then...

He stepped out of the carriage taking the bow with him and offered his hand to her, to help her down. She knew she should hate him, and she wanted to more than ever, but every time he did something that angered her he countered it with something that gave her a small glimpse of something more than beast in him. He yelled then gave her a pillow. She released the prisoner and he didn't kill her. She chipped a cup and he hardly paid it any mind. They were small, but great enough to keep that flicker of hope alive that the man they were chasing might be saved. Maybe...

When she stepped out of the carriage this time she found herself in the middle of a forest. In front of their driverless carriage was a greasy looking man on a horse. He had a small caravan of guards with him and they were escorting a carriage of their own with bars on the windows. Prisoners. As they approached the man gave them a menacing glare and dismounted the horse. He staggered, losing his balance, then reached for a flask on the horses saddle. She really hoped they weren't going to be talking to this man. He smelled like he hadn't bathed in ages and his staggered gate told her exactly what was in that flask. That same instinct that told her Rumpelstiltskin wouldn't hurt her now told her to stay as far away from this man as she possibly could. He reeked of blackness.

Despite her hopes she watched as Rumpelstiltskin walked up to the man, his own gate changing as he did. Instead of proud and certain, he stooped low suddenly and cast his eyes to the ground. "What are you doing in my woods!" the stranger yelled at the pair of them, doing his best to strut proudly toward them.

"Pardon the intrusion Sheriff, ahem..." he also took on another funny irregular accent, like he was a beggar instead of the powerful dark monster that he was. But...a Sheriff?! The man was a law man? He certainly didn't look like a respectable sheriff, nor did he appear to act like one. "I'm looking for a thief, he attacked me with this bow..." he gestured at the bow in his hand and the Sheriff looked at it with interest. "I chased him as far as these woods and then he vanished."

"Yes, I know exactly who your after," he said examining the weapon, but then he glanced up at Rumpelstiltskin and looked him up and down, like he had forgotten all about what they were talking about. Living in a drunken haze could do that to a man. "But I also know who you are…Rumpelstiltskin."

Her first instinct was to panic. She didn't know why he had wanted to keep his identity secret but now that he knew who he was she expected that the plan had taken a turn for the worst. But as she watched him she realized that he didn't panic as she had, his back straightened and the fake accent suddenly fell away as he allowed himself to come out of hiding. "My reputation precedes me. Excellent!" he said almost happily with a flourish of his hands.

The stranger smiled, but not in a friendly way, it was a snide sneer. "Yes, as does your penchant...for making deals," the man gave a hand flourish of his own mimicking Rumpelstiltskin, mocking him. She thought that it was a foolish thing to do, but then again he didn't strike her as an intelligent person. "I'll tell you where you can find your thief, if you give me something in return." She watched as the man took a drink from his flask. He was earning less and less respect every second. He was the town sheriff, charged with protecting the people, if there was a thief about he should be happy and eager for help catching him, not making deals to get what he wanted and allowing others to take justice into their own hands! No, she didn't like this man one bit, he was far too slippery for her trust. He was by far more crooked than half of the criminals she had met in her life.

But the man had said the magic word. All it took was to say that he wanted to make a deal and Rumpelstiltskin was hooked. She watched him step toward the man and gestured for him to come closer with his hand. "What do you want," she heard him whisper.

Suddenly the Sheriff looked up at her. Her stomach rolled, she'd felt sure he hadn't the sense to even notice that she was there! But now he pointed in her direction and she didn't even like knowing that she was on his mind. "A night with your wench" he slurred.

Her jaw dropped and she took a small timid step away from him, meaning to go back to the carriage, but couldn't get her legs to work properly. Was he really suggesting what she thought he was suggesting?! How dare he even speak the thought?! She was a princess! She was a royal woman of noble blood! She was a…

She was the property or Rumpelstiltskin. That was the deal that she had made to save her village. Her life was no longer her own, her choices, her desires, they weren't up to her, not anymore. Fear wound its way up her spine and put a chill in her blood. She was vaguely aware of Rumpelstiltskin looking back at her. Was he actually considering this? She knew how much he wanted to find the thief that had stolen his wand, he had obviously wanted to punish her for letting the man go, but this was extreme even for him, a different kind of wicked. Was he really going to allow such a thing? Was she? No, she hadn't even been willing when it was the prospect of Gaston in a lavish bedroom after their wedding! For this man to...and she wasn't even...

No! No, she wouldn't just go with him, she couldn't! But she was terrified that her options were limited. She could run. No, he'd find her thanks to the clasp on her cloak. But certainly whatever punishment he would give her for running away would be more welcome than what this man would do to her if she went with him. He'd make that stone cold marital suite look like heaven.

"Ah..." her heart sped up as he began to speak, knowing that the next words could seal her fate. "She's not for sale," he said. Relief hit her, shaking her free of the paralyzing fear she'd felt only moments ago. He had said it with certainty, the smallest amount of shock in his voice, like he was surprised that he would actually ask for such a thing. Surprised that he thought he would just give her away like that. He had said that he loved his possessions, maybe he wasn't the worst person she could belong to.

The Sheriff gave a small laugh. "You can't part with her for say...an hour?" he was gazing at her again, the way that a predator would watch his prey, and she felt embarrassed and exposed the way his eyes were raking up and down her. "Twenty minutes?" He wouldn't give this up, even after Rumpelstiltskin had made it clear who she belonged to. He sickened her. The fish she'd eaten earlier that morning turned dangerously in her stomach and she just wanted to be away from here, away from him. Far, far away.

Rumpelstiltskin remained silent throughout the man's useless bartering. But then he put his hand to his head. "Let me think..." he muttered and for that moment fear crept back into her and she seriously considered running from them both, but then with a flick of his hand he drew thick black smoke from the man's mouth. She watched in horror as the Sheriff suddenly started to gag and choke and made useless grunting noises. Rumpelstiltskin gave him a playful giggle, and it was then that she saw that the man's tongue lay in the palm of his hand.

"I propose a new deal," Rumpelstiltskin suggested with a hint of malice in his voice. She didn't know he felt this protective of her. Why would he? She was only his property. "I give this back to you," he said holding up the disgusting organ, "and in return you tell me everything you know about the man I am hunting," he insisted in a snapping voice. This deal wasn't optional like hers had been. He was going to get what he wanted whether the man complied or not. It was made perfectly clear, but she watched him as he humiliated the man further, holding the tongue up and waving it in front of his face. "You ought to be more careful with your possessions!" he taunted shaking the vile thing. Ordinarily she should feel angry or disgusted at his actions, but she was still reeling from the suggestions he had made. She just couldn't feel anything more than disgust for the drunken lawman. She wondered if Rumpelstiltskin felt the same way. For the same reasons possibly?

"Do you agree to my terms?" he asked coyly, as if the man had a choice. His eyes were wide, reminding her of a bug as he attempted to answer him. "What was that?" Rumpelstiltskin asked, taking joy in the man's suffering. The man tried to speak, each time more and more desperately, but all he could manage was a grunt. She would never say it out loud, but, secretly, she thought he deserved it. She knew he'd give the tongue back because he needed him to tell him what he needed to know but being bullied might give him a taste of his own medicine and make him think twice before he tried to force his will upon another woman, or anyone else for that matter. "Oh, I'll take that as a yes then!" He finally joked in response and in a flash of black smoke and a haze of coughing the organ was returned. The man breathed heavily and pinched the body part between his fingers a few times making sure everything was back where it belonged. Rumpelstiltskin pointed at him. "Start talking..." he ordered, a hint of threat behind the words.

"The man who you're after," the sheriff offered quickly, like he couldn't get the words out of his mouth fast enough. "I've been chasing him for years," he pointed to himself, his anger seeping into his voice and replacing his fear. "He ruined me! He stole the woman I love and made me the laughing stock of all of Nottingham." She seriously doubted that it was all the thief's fault. Knowing this man and how he had treated her and disrespected the honorable job he possessed, the thief might have done something to him, but she could see that his heart was black. The faults to the Sheriffs life no doubt came from a problem with his soul.

"Where can I find him?" Rumpelstiltskin asked, clearly happy he was getting what he really wanted. She was happy too. The faster they found out the information the faster they could leave. It also meant that she'd have less time to convince him not to kill the thief but she wanted to be away from here so desperately she didn't care.

"Last I heard, he was hiding out in Sherwood Forest," the Sheriff explained diligently.

Rumpelstiltskin nodded and took a step toward the man. "And his name...?" he asked with a curious whisper, the question he'd originally asked her, the question that she'd asked herself but hadn't gotten a response to.

"Robin Hood," the Sheriff answered, spite dripping from his voice. "He goes by Robin Hood."

Rumpelstiltskin turned back to her, a smile on his face and left the man standing there without another word. The Sheriff didn't seem upset, he seemed happy the encounter was over and could be put behind him. But he cast one last glance of regret at her that made her back away from him with a sneer on her face. It made her so sick that for a moment she thought she might actually be!

But then Rumpelstiltskin was there in front of her. He placed a protective arm around her waist turning her away from the beast before them, just as he had when he'd removed her from her fathers care. Their backs turned on the man and the arm was replaced by a gentle steadying hand at the small of her back as he led her back to the safety of the carriage. Although she had thought she was to upset and too disgusted to ever let him touch her, she found that with the sheriff standing behind her, she was thankful for it. In fact, it was almost comforting. Rumpelstiltskin wasn't the worst thing lurking in these woods. Maybe the worst just came in prettier wrapping.

He offered her his hand again, helping her back into the carriage before getting in himself. After a moment the driverless carriage jerked to life, and she looked out the other window not even wanting to throw the sheriff a backward glance. "Thank you," she muttered, truly meaning it for the first time, as they rolled forward. The situation could have been much worse and she was happy to leave it behind. Those two words weren't enough to express how incredibly grateful she was that he hadn't traded her for the information. But her sincerity would have to do for now.

"I don't make those kinds of deals," he muttered in the low serious voice, and casting her a strange look before avoiding her eyes and looking out the window as well. Who would have thought that he had a moral code of ethics? She would have thought that he'd make a deal with anything that breathed. She smiled, he was more of a man than they both thought. He wouldn't hurt her, he wouldn't trade her. And if she wasn't mistaken, he seemed to have something of a soft spot for her. Now she knew that it wasn't just a hope that there was a man behind the beast, it was the truth. The only question was if she could find it again, and figure out how to spare Robin Hoods life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Does Rumpelstiltskin have a heart? Is he more man or monster? Will Belle convince the beast to give up his hunt for the thief, tune in next time to find out! Or...you know...just go to the next chapter or rewatch Lacey...that would probably answer your question too...
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	11. Wearing Off

They hadn't traveled far from the terrible sheriff before the carriage had stopped and he'd helped her out again. "What are we doing in the middle of nowhere?" she questioned looking around the deserted wood, wondering if he'd decided to stop for a meal or water as they so often did. He only hissed a quick "he's close by". Then, before she had any time to process what was happening he had taken off into the forest, the prospect of completing his mission pushing him forward every step of the way. She took off after him, unwilling to give up the fight, not until the end, bitter or sweet it may be.

"You can't do this!" she called after him, trying desperately to do anything to slow him down, but he was fast and she wasn't exactly dressed to be running through the forest.

"I can and I will," he responded, throwing the words at her over his shoulder, there seemed to be no stopping him. She was running out of time and that meant that so was Robin Hood.

"But it's wrong!" she called out.

"So was his decision to steal from me!"

She rolled her eyes. She'd heard that excuse from him too many times on this journey and it was wearing thin on her. Justice had nothing to do with it. He was doing this for revenge, plain and simple. But somehow she knew that pointing that out to him right now, wasn't going to help the situation. "But there must be a reason why! Something we don't know."

"If he truly needed it, he could have made a deal, just like everyone else in this realm who wants something from me."

She couldn't help but snort at that comment, if only because she'd asked the man, Robin Hood, that very thing.  _"Because I'll be in debt to no man!"_ he'd answered, and she had to admit that he had a great argument. "Because making deals with you always works in everyone's favor," she grumbled, realizing her dress was caught on a branch. She yanked the fabric up and grit her teeth together when she heard it tear. It was fine. It didn't matter. The dress was already stained, and it wasn't what mattered now.

"That, Dearie," he said, spinning around to meet her judgmental gaze, "is the…" Suddenly he got very quiet, she looked him over, confused at what was happening. Then she heard it, the loud whinny of a horse and the rattle of carriage wheels. Forgetting their conversation, he turned and walked forward toward the sound, she followed on trembling legs. Was this it? Had she really just run out of time?

"You know, it's still not too late to turn back," she told him. But if he heard her it didn't appear to have any impact on him. He was listening for something. The horse perhaps? "You know I'm not going to stand by and watch you kill a man!"

"Well, you're welcome to sit if you like!" he growled turning back to her. "But you are going to watch. That's the whole point of our little expedition, remember?" he turned and began walking timidly in the same direction again, "to see what your actions wrought..." Funny, she thought this was about getting that stupid wand back. She didn't care if he was sick of listening to her, or if she annoyed him. She couldn't give up. She wouldn't.

She heard another faint whinny off in the distance and her heart beat again. Had he heard it? When she turned back to face him it appeared that it hadn't mattered. Something else had caught his attention. It appeared that they'd arrived at the top of a steep hill, and looking down below them she saw Robin Hood. He was here, looking certainly better than she'd last seen him, leaning against a tree, out the in open looking around. The stolen wand was visible in his hand. Was he hoping not to get caught or was he waiting for something?

"Found him!" Rumple said loudly enough for her to hear but not enough to break the silence in the wood and alert the man.

She heard the sound of hoof beats again, and the sound of wheels turning. He looked in the direction of the carriage they'd been hearing and his expression changed. "He's...he's waiting for someone," she pointed out, watching him look out for the sight of the carriage. As soon as she saw the single horse pulling a flat cart behind it round the bend he took off for it. Before their eyes, the two faceless men that had been pulling the cart quickly unhitched it and mounted the horse before riding away at a gallop. The cargo appeared to be a person, a woman. Even from far away she could see that she was deathly pale, wrapped in blankets, and she was coughing. The deep hallow sounds of each hack shaking her body carried up to the hill they were standing on. "That woman!" she muttered, staring as Robin Hood seemed drawn to her side.

"That must be the one that he stole from the sheriff," Rumpelstiltskin clarified. It didn't surprise her that he would only pick up on the negative side of that tale. Once a thief always a thief in his mind. The truth of the matter was, after her own encounter with the disgusting man, she doubted "stealing" had actually taken place. If it was her, she'd have gone willingly with Robin Hood. Women were not property they had emotions and feelings and treating them like they were a tradable commodity was not the way to win them over.

Another chopped, labored, cough reached her ears. Robin Hood gently brushed the hair off of her fevered white face and gripped the wand in his hand, looking her over like he was trying to figure out where to start. At her side she could see Rumpelstiltskin fiddling with an arrow in the enchanted bow, preparing to take aim. She wasn't giving up! She couldn't stand by and watch someone else die as she had with her friend Anna! So instead she reached out and covered his arm with her hand, forcing him to lower the weapon. She had to make him see!

"She's sick, she's going to die!" she wasn't a doctor but looking at the woman, it was obvious that she didn't have a lot of time left, she already looked like death.

"And so is he," he muttered trying to raise his arm again.

"Stop!" she yelled forcing his arm back to his side again. He was waving the wand over her body, and suddenly it all became clear to her: why he wanted the wand, why he would dare to break into the castle to get it, and what made his entire ordeal worth it. Watching the expression on the woman's face when he met her gaze only fueled her suspicion. He really hadn't stolen her away; he'd just fallen in love with her. Rumpelstiltskin wasn't so heartless that he was blind. Surely he had to see this too.

She watched, amazed, as he swept the wand down her body, slowly her coughing became less and less severe until it didn't even appear that her breathing was labored, and as it climbed back up her body her coloring started to return, her skin turning olive, her cheeks pink, even her hair took on a healthy gleam. The two of them smiled at each other, looks of happiness etched into their faces of relief. She couldn't help but smile too. It had been hard to remember the good in people since she came to serve Rumpelstiltskin, she had started to think that maybe she was wrong, that people were as black or white as they seemed, but Robin Hood gave her hope. There was good and bad in everyone, it was only a matter of finding it.

"I'm right about him, about why he stole the wand!" she said more for herself than for him, but it appeared to have caught his attention, "he did it so he could heal the woman he loves." She knew that she was moved by his actions but didn't know she'd been moved to the point of tears! But it was a beautiful and wonderful act of sacrifice and tears were appropriate.

"He's still a thief," Rumpelstiltskin countered.

"She would have died if he hadn't stolen  _your_  wand," she yelled at him, her contempt for this entire journey finally dripping from her words. Hadn't he figured out how absurd this entire thing was?!

"And now he gets to die!" he shouted back at her, "and she can tell all of Sherwood Forest what happens when you cross Rumpelstiltskin! There!" With a flash of his hand it felt like the earth had disappeared out from under her. She gave a gasp and tried to brace herself before she realized what had happened. She was buried up to her waist in the ground. She tried to pull herself up out of the hole he'd place her in but the more she struggled the more it felt like the dirt and soil held onto her. She couldn't move. She couldn't fight. She was helpless! "That should give you a good view!" he taunted, his hand still raised.

He wasn't wrong, from where she was she could still see the two of them, but from here she could do nothing to help. Her fingers curled in anger against the ground. She wanted to yell at him, but that wasn't going to help anything. He would let her go eventually, but the fate of Robin Hood relied on her ability to keep calm and use logic. She'd seen good in him before, when she'd chipped the cup, when he didn't kill her after she'd released Robin Hood, and when that ridiculous excuse for a Sheriff had tried to trade information for her. That was the Rumpelstiltskin that she needed to find, not the monster before her now. Harsh words would only goad him on. This required delicacy.

"You don't have to do this!" she told him as he positioned the arrow and drew back. "There's good in you," she knew that he was listening, he hadn't released the arrow, so he had to be listening to her words. "I was right about the thief and I'm right about you," he remained still.

She was suddenly distracted as the woman on the cart jumped up dropping the blanket and swishing her long cloak back. The woman's belly was swollen and round. The stakes had just gotten higher. Her stomach churned and her body tingled with the fear that she would fail. "Look! She's pregnant!" She watched as Rumple lowered the bow and arrow staring at the two of them. He did appear to have a heart. Whether it was the woman or her words she couldn't be positive but something had caught his attention, something had softened him. She could use that to her advantage, and in this situation she had to use every bit of help she could get. "You are not the kind of man to leave a child fatherless!" If she was any indication, he had a penchant for protecting the innocent. The child was innocent, she needed him to realize that.

Robin Hood helped the healthy woman down from the carriage and the happy couple embraced like nothing was wrong, like everything was perfect. They had no idea just how close danger really was. She thought that she had him, thought that they were getting somewhere, but before she had time to stop him in one quick movement he pulled back the string, took aim, and released. "No!" she cried after the arrow, wishing that it could hear her words and turn back. But instead it whizzed mercilessly through the air-

But instead of killing Robin Hood, it buried itself in the cart the woman had arrived on!

She felt her eyes widen. She felt shock race through her body as her jaw dropped. And she wasn't the only one surprised. Robin Hood and his bride looked around frantically, but couldn't see the two of them on the hill. He muttered something to her that she couldn't make out with the distance and then the two of them fled to the horse and mounted, intending to escape! She quickly glanced up at Rumpelstiltskin, wondering if she'd have to yell again to prevent another attempt...

But she didn't. He'd already had plenty of time to grab another arrow and fire again, and yet he didn't! "What happened?" she asked, still trying to put the pieces together and figure out what was happening. This wasn't possible! It was a trick wasn't it? He was trying to lull Robin Hood and his maiden into a false sense of security or-

"I missed," he muttered, disappointment in his voice. The sound of the horse's hoofs echoed in her ears as it galloped off carrying the two of them to safety. With another gesture suddenly her feet touched something solid and the pressure against her body disappeared. With a breath of relief she realized that he had released her from the hole and been set her back on solid ground. "Get back to the carriage," he ordered watching them disappear into the fog, "I'm bored with this forest."

"You're...you're not going after him?!" she questioned. This wasn't possible, was it?! It was just a trick...right? It just seemed too good to be true.

He shook his head slightly. "He's not worth the efforts."

It  _was_  possible. She'd known this was what she'd wanted and hoped would happen...but she wasn't sure that she believed it actually would until just now!

She felt like she was beaming, happiness and pride quickly curing her of the fear and shock she had experienced only a moment ago. She wasn't wrong. Her suspicions were confirmed. And everything she'd said about him, everything she'd tried to convince him of so he wouldn't harm Robin Hood...this made it all true! "You spared his life," she pointed out, trying to hide the surprise. But the smugness in her voice was perfectly clear. She couldn't help it. She felt, strange as it was, proud of him. And proud of herself for being right and seeing through the disguise he wore.

"What?!" he asked like it was the most ridiculous thing he'd ever heard, but as she approached him she could see the look on his face, hear the false shock in his voice. He was good. He was dark too. But there was goodness in him. She might have been the only one in the world to see it. It wasn't much, but it was just enough. Enough to give her hope for the days and years and the eternity to come. "I did nothing of the sort," he insisted.

He was trying to cover it up, but it was too late, she had seen all she needed to. He couldn't hide from her any more. He could pretend that he was dark, evil, and sinister. But there was more to him than that and she wasn't going to just let it go. He'd given her liberties before, protected her, given her allowances, maybe he would allow her just a few more. He had once said that she was special...exactly how special was she? Special enough to show him that he was more than he thought? Special enough to prove to him that there really was good in him? "That bow has magic in it. It never misses its target," she pointed out, wondering what he would do to worm his way out of that fact.

"Well, perhaps the magic just simply wore...off," he finally breathed, his voice seemed to fail when he turned to face her, looking down at her from his slightly higher place on the hill and it confused her. He didn't look like himself suddenly, like the beast that had taken her from her home. It was hard to tell why he looked different. His emotions, his thoughts, they were hard to figure out. He looked surprised almost, like he had just realized something important. Was it the goodness in him? And what had made him change his mind? Was it the woman? The child? Dare she even think that maybe she was special enough for her words to have sunk into him?

Was it her?

She felt her mouth twitch, her will to keep her happiness to herself failing. Something had worn off, but it wasn't the magic in the bow. She didn't plan for it, didn't know she was going to do it, and didn't have time to think whether or not it was proper. But she found herself reaching up, standing on her tip toes, and throwing her arms around his neck. She hugged him. He didn't return the gesture. Instead, he took a timid step back shocked by her sudden movement and she felt his body stiffen against her own as if he had no idea what she was doing and didn't know what he should do.

She was surprised herself, frankly! The gesture didn't disgust her. It didn't even shock her. Even if she was the only active participant, something about the embrace just felt...right. The sudden thought made her pull away, knowing that it was making him uncomfortable, feeling strange that it wasn't making her uncomfortable. She smiled at him, instinctively patting his cloak down where she had ruffled it before something in her brain finally screamed at her to stop touching him all together. She couldn't help but smile as she turned away from his shocked face. He had walls and defenses, maybe it was time someone broke them down and learned who he really was, the man behind the monster, the goodness beyond the curse.

Suddenly she realized that she was walking back to the carriage but she couldn't hear his steps coming after her. She turned back. He was still standing there, looking at her like she completely baffled him. And he still had that same look on his face like he had just discovered a great secret.

"Aren't you coming?" she asked her eye brows raised. Her words shook him from his daze and he turned back and gathered the quiver of arrows from where he had set them against the tree.

Looking him over she found herself smiling again. She was special. Could she be the only one that had ever seen him as more than the Dark One? Could she make him see himself as more than the Dark One?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Rumbelle roar! Gotta love this moment between them, right?! I mean it's just so sweet and it's one of those perfect moments where you can tell that he might not be head over heels in love with her yet but I really think that at this point she just surprises him. Living hundreds of years like he has must be boring and after a while I imagine you begin to feel like you've met everyone there is to meet and know the world around you perfectly. I don't think he expected this little princess to suddenly invade his life and his thoughts and surprise him the way that she did. It's pretty awesome...not to mention one of those classic Rumbelle moments I just melt for!
> 
> Big, big thank yous for comments on the last chapter go to Heart_of_a_oncer! Much love right back at you! Thanks for sticking with me through all of this! Soon enough we'll be getting back into some original chapters and I hope you'll enjoy that of course but first...another classic Rumbelle moment! On you go! Peace and Happy Reading!


	12. Unexpected Gifts

To say she was glad the journey was over was an understatement. Cold nights, uncomfortable days, the stress of not knowing how it was all going to end...yes, she was very glad it was all over. But still she wouldn't regret freeing the man, Robin Hood. Not before Rumpelstiltskin had dragged her across half the realm searching for him and not after he had released him for good. Of course he wasn't going to admit that it was her that had convinced him. He would continue to claim that it just wasn't worth his while. But it didn't matter, at the end of the day he was alive, and the child that had been within the woman still had a father. That was what was important. The fact that she appeared to have some influence over him was secondary...though still important.

She never thought she'd be relieved to see the castle, but she'd never seen something more comforting than the fire in the hearth. Their cloaks had mysteriously vanished from their bodies in the entrance hall so she didn't feel overheated in the room and instead glanced at the bow and quiver of arrows he brought back in with him, a small smirk crossing her face. She'd won after all, and while she wouldn't point it out, she wouldn't forget it any time soon.

"Looks like you won't be needing that bow anymore." She hadn't meant it to sound cocky, but it certainly came out that way, and with all the cockiness he displayed on a daily basis she didn't feel any compulsion to correct it or apologize. Considering their situation, she doubted she would ever actually have a comfortable conversation with him, so an apology wasn't necessary. Although if this trip was any indication, she might not be as much a slave as she thought she was. She really didn't know what that meant, but she was going to find out. And for now, it meant that she was just a caretaker. She could live with that.

"Actually I think I'll hold onto it," he commented coming to a stop. "You never know, could come in handy some day," he said unloading them onto his chair. That probably meant it would be going into his collection, one more item to dust when she woke up tomorrow. But she wouldn't mind. To her it represented triumph. It was part of her own little collection, a collection of good memories. They had been all that had sustained her since she arrived. But who would have thought that she would make a one here? With him?!

She turned back to where he stood, actually looking forward to getting back to her cell for a good night's sleep, and blushed to see that he still had that look on his face! The one he'd had just after he'd released Robin Hood. The one that had mysteriously appeared after she'd hugged him. It had come and gone on their journey back to the castle and she still wasn't sure what it meant exactly. But it was a mystery for another time, when she was rested and well fed and ready to get back down to business. "Well, uh," she stuttered, trying quickly not to let on that she was thinking of that moment, that look, "if you don't need me for anything else...good-night, Rumpelstiltskin." Still feeling that smirk tugging on her lips, she turned to go to bed and keep her strange new curious thoughts to-

"No wait!" he shouted behind her suddenly. She turned back, worry crossing her face. She hadn't expected there to be anything else. Had she been wrong? Was he upset with her? Had she overstepped on the last comment? He wouldn't do anything to her, even if he was upset over everything that had happened. If anything he would just give her more chores. She hoped it was nothing that had to be done tonight; she really was ready to spend some time with only herself, even if it was in a chilly dungeon. "There is something else," he added, timidly, then waved over his shoulder and shuffled awkwardly. The look on his face didn't resemble the look he gave for revenge or even anger. It was something else, something she hadn't seen before, something she couldn't quite put her finger on.

Without a word, he turned and left the room. She followed after him wondering where he could possibly be taking her. She hadn't been here that long and she hadn't really learned the castles as well as she should have yet, but she recognized this hallway, these stairs. They led to the tower, the empty one that she'd spent so much of her time gazing out the window into the valley when she first arrived. Why was he taking her up here? But then the stairs ended and as she came to the top she looked out on a room that made her so happy she thought she might actually cry.

It wasn't empty anymore.

Books.

Books, everywhere!

Books that were new. Books that were old. In shelves made of wood that reached to the roof, some stood tall and proud others looked neglected and broken, their pages yellowed with age and swollen from water damage. Was she wrong? Was she lost? Was this another tower that had been here all along and she just hadn't realized? No, no it couldn't have been. There was furniture in this room now! Including the chaise that she'd had downstairs, she'd seen it in the great room only a minute ago! She swallowed happy tears as she looked around at the beautiful sight, feeling the sudden urge to sing and dance, but words seemed to escape her.

The room was gorgeous, in a fair and common sort of way. It held comfy looking chairs, some even had beautiful blankets thrown over them! And on the far side there was even a fireplace that had sparked to life in her presence just like the one downstairs did! It wasn't just the library she'd wished he'd had, it was the reading room she'd always wanted, even as a child, even when she was a princess. Not one that she had to share with the castle, but one that she could selfishly call her own! She felt like she was spinning, trying to take too many of the details in at once, trying to see it all in so short a time it was making her dizzy. This was her new favorite spot. Not just in his castle, but in the entire world. It made her happier than the image of her bedroom in her father's palace. She felt like she'd been made for this room and it for her...then again maybe it had been.

"Temper your excitement dearie" he told her as she continued to gawk at the room, completely and utterly overwhelmed by its glum beauty. "This is just another room for you to clean." If forever was her fate, then her forever had just gotten better than she ever expected it could here.

"It's beautiful," she finally managed to say, staring up at the shelves, wondering if she'd recognize any of the titles. Was it possible that some of the books she'd missed most were here? And the ones that weren't familiar, what adventures would she find within their pages? Would she ever have time to give each one the delicate care it needed? "There's more books in here than I could read in a lifetime," she blurt out, more to herself than to him.

"Then I hope you can clean faster than you can read," he commented probably attempting to joke with her, but before she could let out a retort of her own a book sitting out on a table that had escaped her notice until now suddenly called to her. She picked it up and began to page through it. It felt good just to have it in her hands, and suddenly she realized that she was fighting back joyful tears. For him? It was the most unexpected thing! He'd given her more than she had ever dreamed, with the only condition being that she cleaned it! That was no condition at all! Besides, as she looked around she was beginning to see that the room was already clean! The tables were in pristine condition, the furniture without dust, even the blankets looked as though they'd just been crafted out of thin air. Had they been?

She was suddenly aware that he was watching her, like always, eternally curious. With a smirk of his own, he was gauging her reaction but also looking expectantly at her. It was as if he was waiting for something. This hadn't been just a happy coincidence, not after he'd taken the book from her. He wasn't showing her this room just because he expected her to clean it. He was giving it to her. Oh, it was still his of course, but she knew that he was replacing what she'd lost a million times over, giving her some form of comfort in this strange place. Was this his way of apologizing? Was that what he was waiting for? To know that she accepted it? To know that everything between them was...okay, maybe?

"Did you do all this for me?" she asked timidly, knowing he would never really answer.

"I better not see a single speck of dust gathering on any of these books!" he ordered, very unconvincingly. He wouldn't say it, but she knew it was hers, a new sanctuary. In that moment their trip through the woods was forgotten and forgiven. She'd upset him. He'd upset her. He'd made up for it. Could she? Who knew how long he'd been here alone, and who knew what his life had been before, what the people he'd known before had been like. You had to know kindness before you could give it. She wondered if he'd ever really known it before she urged him to take pity on that couple in the woods. Could she ever make it up to him for thinking of him as such a horrific beast? Yes. With a smile she knew how she could be forgiven, she could see what no one else did. And she would make sure that one day, he saw it to. It may not seem like much now, but she knew that it would be worth more than this library was to her. There was a man within the beast, and she could see him standing before her now in the monsters skin. He really wasn't as bad as he seemed.

"What are you smiling at missy?!" he snapped in his joking voice.

She set the book down at his joke and walked around the table, suddenly realizing that his jokes were only something he did to protect himself, to keep others at arm's length. She wouldn't be fooled like others would be. Not like before. She grabbed the hand that he had been pointing at her and held it between her own, a look of surprise and confusion crossing his face as he glanced down at the contact. Had anyone ever willingly touched him in a kind gesture before?

"You're not who I thought you were," she admitted, knowing that she truly believed the words. "And I'm glad," she said realizing that for the first time, she really was glad, and maybe even a little hopeful for what this adventure might bring.

He stared for a long while, neither of them really sure how to respond to her revelation. Then just as suddenly as the moment had come, it passed. He pulled out of her grasp and wordlessly left the library going back down the stairs they'd come from. She smiled as she watched him go, waiting until the sound of his footsteps disappeared, before she picked up the book from the table and snatched one of the warm blankets up off an armchair. Then she took them back to her dungeon to start a new chapter before nights end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come one now, everyone loves this scene right? Right?! I love it too. I really think they did an excellent job of going back in time between the skin deep episodes and filling in the blanks for us a fit. This episode was well written and thought out...until season three came along and they had to go and make things a little more complicated, but that's okay! That's why I'm here, to fill in the blanks and fix the mistakes. Did anyone notice over the last few chapters how I fixed the mistake of the windows being open? I gave it my best shot to explain that, hopefully it's not too out of left field and don't worry, I'll remember to correct things tomorrow so that they are closed again and by the time they get opened once more...well...maybe it'll mean a little more than it did before!
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	13. The Future Isn't Always What It Seems

After they returned from the Robin Hood incident things went back to normal. Or at least his version of normal, as normal as she thought they possibly could be.

The morning after he'd given her the library, she'd woken up to find his wheel back in the corner, where it belonged, and the curtains closed. She didn't complain. As much as she hated to see the sun go, she had books again, and the bright globe within their pages was enough for her. And besides there was plenty of light in the library, a fire constantly in the hearth and light from the windows. It was her very own space, and she loved it more than any other place in the castle, or in the world and that included what had been her library back home.

But she soon found that the library gave her more than just a retreat from the rest of the castle, it was her work's salvation as well. The books offered her more help than she ever thought they could. Of course she loved the stories and kept one with her always but there were more than stories in the library. She found books on housekeeping which taught her how to clean and do the laundry, and one that taught her about time management and schedules for a household and it's caretaker. With the help of her books, soon enough she figured out a schedule for herself to tackle the massive building properly, for the short term and the long term. It would take a while, but she was ready for the challenge, especially now that she was finally eating some good meals.

That was yet another thing her books had taught her. There were dozens of books on cooking. A few that told her how to do it, but a lot more that gave her new ideas for meals once she really began to catch on, and recipes galore which she'd happily tried. It didn't take long for her to learn that cooking was the favorite of her new chores. She didn't dread eating anymore, and she felt better, stronger, and more clear-headed than when she first arrived. She was happy to find that with the proper instruction, she felt as though she was improving in her duties. And, much to her surprise, she found that she liked to do it. There were no longer days that she felt like a princess doing a caretakers job, now she just felt like a caretaker. She was beginning to think it was a job that suited her and beneath her or not...it was certainly better than marrying Gaston and being pregnant.

But no matter the improvement of her chores or her state of mind the library was still her favorite space in this place; reading was still her favorite pastime. Whenever she could spare a minute that was where she was. Sometimes even when she couldn't spare a minute, or shouldn't that was where she was. Like today. She'd spent too much time in the library cleaning, stacking, and reordering the precious books. But she'd spent more of that time than she would ever admit reading, instead of cleaning. The price she paid was not hearing the clock that told her it was time to start dinner. As soon as she realized the time, she was out of the library, hurrying down the stairs, careful not to trip over her yellow gown, and heading for her tiny kitchen. But when she came into the entry way something made her stop dead in her tracks.

It looked different. Something had changed. It wasn't just that it was brighter, or cleaner, but it looked pleasant. It smelled…wonderful. It confused her. She didn't know what, but something had changed since this afternoon when she'd gone up to the tower. She glanced around eagerly. What was it that made it different? Suddenly she spotted the reason sitting on the table.

Flowers!

Dinner forgotten, she hurried over to the bundle, perched in the vase, and beamed. She hadn't done this. She'd wanted to, but with winter moving in, there were no fresh flowers out in the grounds and last she checked the flowers in this vase had been clearly and without a doubt dead. So then who...how...? Was he responsible for this? Had he set the flowers out? It was so…unlike him. But if she hadn't done it, then who else would have?

They weren't perfect. There were dying ones woven in with the living ones. But it was an excellent first attempt. It brought life into the castle, something it desperately needed. It made the cold stone walls homey in a way. With delicate hands she set her book on the table and brushed some of the silky petals into order before leaning forward to smell them. They were a wonderful treat, a beautiful, and unexpected surprise. And they smelled like heaven

Suddenly the door to the great room flew open and she found herself jumping back away from bouquet. His confident demeanor fled the moment she met his gaze and he stopped at the doors threshold, looking shocked that he'd run into her, perhaps even a little embarrassed. There were a million things they could have said, a million questions she wanted to ask him, but instead what followed was the same awkward silence that had haunted them ever since he'd given her the library.

"Ah..." he paused and his fingers flexed as he tried to decide what to say to her. She decided that subtly was the best way to handle the sudden appearance of the flowers and did her best to pretend she hadn't been admiring them. "Hold dinner for just a few extra minutes," he finally said after a moment "I, ah, I'm going to be a bit late tonight." His voice was high pitched again, not as bad as she knew it could be, but not as serious as it should be. He was hiding himself, but from what she didn't know. She couldn't even form the thoughts properly in her head to begin guessing. What was wrong with her?

His presence, his request, the flowers, it all caught her off guard and she found herself suddenly fumbling to pick up the book she'd set on the table, accidentally dropping it instead, the bang echoing through the empty foyer. "How, how long?" she asked breaking their eye contact to reach down and grab it. When she finally glanced up again, she saw that he had taken a few steps closer, like he had wanted to pick it up but stopped himself just in time. "How late will you be?" she asked, the noise finally sobering her mind enough to talk sensibly. Still, she found herself blushing at the clumsy incident.

He kept his distance staring at her strangely for a few moments, then giving his head a small shake, like he was ridding himself of some unwanted thought and had to clear his head too. "Not long," he answered sharply. They stared at each other for a short while, before she realized that sooner or later one of them was going to have to move around the other. Why would she be nervous about that? Why would he? They'd shared a carriage during their hunt for Robin Hood why was the entry way suddenly too small when they were in it together?

"I'll, uh..." she swallowed, and held her book close to her chest, her grip tightening around it. "I'll get started," she concluded, suddenly happy that her late start would go unnoticed. "It shouldn't be long."

"Just long enough," he piped up suddenly, with what looked almost like a genuine smile. But just as soon as the look appeared it faded into a new look that told her he was just as surprised he'd responded to her comment as she was. It was so normal compared to all their interactions, it had shocked the both of them. But he seemed to quickly brushed it off as he pointed to the door behind him. "I have business..."

"Right!" she exclaimed, smiling as she realized how loudly she'd said the word. She blushed again, or maybe just worse, as she realized why he was still standing there. He was waiting for someone, she was in the way and he wanted her to leave. Why hadn't she seen that a moment ago? And why hadn't he just said the words? "I'll, uh...go," she motioned, "make dinner, then..." she finished, embarrassed at her stuttering.

He moved aside as she got closer to the door and was suddenly aware of the pounding of her heart, the red in her cheeks, and her careful examination of the floor before her as she tried to avoid his eyes. It seemed to take forever, but finally she closed the door to the great room behind her and found herself leaning against it like she was trying to keep him out. Immediately her mind felt clearer and her body relaxed slightly now that she was away from him again. She couldn't remember ever feeling this awkward in her life, but lately she just couldn't seem to help it.

Her life at the castle seemed to have taken a startling turn since they'd arrived back from Sherwood Forest. She would have guessed that sharing the close confines of the carriage, his wordless acknowledgement that she'd been right, and the wonderful library would have made it easier on them somehow, but instead it was just…strange. It certainly wasn't worse than things had been, but it wasn't really better either. She couldn't describe the feeling. It was like being light-headed or dizzy. And she just couldn't understand what was causing it. They knew they were here and yet every time they came face to face they seemed to dance around each other like they were surprised to find another human being. Neither seemed to know what exactly to say or do with each other in the wake of Robin Hood and she couldn't figure out why...

Suddenly a loud bang on the other side of the door made her jump, and she hoped that he hadn't heard the way she had knocked her head against the door when she did. "Why didn't you come when I called you?!" demanded an unfamiliar, young female voice. His "business" had finally arrived. It was a good thing she'd left when she did, otherwise the stranger would have walked in on the both of them, and she knew that the Rumpelstiltskin that had taken to fumbling with his words when she was around, was the kind of man he'd rather not let others see. She didn't know him well, in fact she didn't know anything personal about him, but she knew that he was different around her. The way he'd been acting lately was a far cry from the beast that had walked into her father's castle, or the one that had gone off in search of Robin Hood. She was grateful for it of course, she just wished she understood what caused it.

"Sorry, dearie, do I know you?" she heard him joke in his higher pitched voice on the other side of the door. It was like their encounter had never happened, he'd gone right back to being the dealmaker, the creature the world recognized him as, but not her. All that she'd seen since she'd come here, she doubted she'd ever really be able to see him completely as a monster again.

Satisfied she hadn't interrupted his business, she pushed herself off the door and took a quiet step toward the kitchen. "I already have a maid," she stopped in her tracks at the words. It was the first time she'd ever heard him reference her and although she knew she shouldn't, she couldn't help but hold her breath hoping to hear more. What had sparked that comment? Had his company come seeking a job? Her job?! It was an unimaginable thought. He wouldn't give her away, would he? He wouldn't make her leave. He wouldn't just replace her on a whim or…

She shook her head at the strange overwhelming thoughts, trying to reason with herself. She was captive! She should want to leave and go home. She should want to be free! So, why did the thought that he would replace her make her feel more flustered than those moments they accidentally crossed paths? "Promising girl, actually," she finally heard him comment.

"You know who I am!" the woman bellowed, but she didn't hear the rest of the words. Their voices faded away behind her as she found herself moving forward and quickly disappearing down the stairs as she realized that she wasn't the topic of the conversation after all. But, nevertheless, her mind felt cloudy again, and she was trying to ignore the relief that had pulsed through her veins as she realized she wasn't going to have to leave. Absent-mindedly she entered her kitchen and began the preparations for dinner, but her thoughts wandered.

She was certain that he hadn't meant for her to hear the words, but now that she had, she couldn't get them out of her mind as she cooked. "Promising"? What did that mean? She was promising? He'd never complimented her on her work. He'd never really given his approval of what she'd been doing. But then again, since they got back from the forest, he'd never disapproved or chastised her for it either. And, frankly, he wasn't the kind of man to ever admit when he was happy about something, he tended to prefer brooding in private to happiness. But, did that mean that she was doing a good job? Did "promising" mean that he was happy with her work? With her? It was hard to tell when every time they ran into each other he looked like he'd just run into a dragon! Although it wasn't as though she did much better on her end.

And what was the cause for their awkward encounters in the first place?! She wasn't terrifying, she was just a 'maid' as he'd so carefully pointed out. He was the Dark One. Why would a maid be able to startle him as she did? But then again why did he have the same effect on her? He was just a man, albeit, a man who had tragically dark powers. A man who used deception and cunning in a way that would make a sphinx jealous, but she wasn't afraid of him. So what was the cause of all this? It wasn't fear or surprise that struck her when they were in the same room, it was just...strange.

She wasn't aware of how much it had consumed her mind until she looked down, saw dinner prepared, and found herself leaning against the wooden table she worked on, rubbing her face with her palms like it would stimulate her brain and give her the answers she sought. She was a smart woman, she prided herself on it, but she just couldn't understand why a riddle like this would stump her. Instinct told her there was a simple explanation for it, but she just couldn't guess what that explanation was. It was silly, this game they seemed to suddenly be players in. She shouldn't be losing time thinking about this, about him, about small comments that he said to a stranger which probably had no meaning at all.

A draft blew around in the kitchen and she shivered. The cool air managed to distract her. It was getting colder...or at least colder than usual. Winter had truly arrived and she'd noticed the temperature in her space getting colder and colder for longer and longer as the days got shorter and shorter. There were no windows here and the small wooden door she had that led out to the grounds was not to blame. It was the fireplace. The same one that was always lit for her, that provided her warmth, was also letting in the chilly drafts as the winds in the mountain had begun to pick up. She looked at the second plate of food she'd set aside for herself. After she'd made sure he'd gotten dinner she'd come back down here to eat. It wouldn't be comfortable. She was suddenly jealous of the nice warm room upstairs that he would eat in. What would she give to eat in a room like that instead of a cold cellar like this...

The image planted itself in her mind, but so bold that it made her muscles tense. She couldn't! She shouldn't! But almost like it was presenting its own encouraging argument the draft blew again, a little stronger, making the bare skin on her shoulders pucker. What was the worst he'd do? Tell her she couldn't and point her back to the kitchen? With the silence that existed between them, she strongly thought that he wouldn't even bother with something like that! He seemed determined to keep her at arm's length, to pretend that she wasn't here, while the environment seemed to force him to recognize that something was changing around him. How far would that stubbornness persist? How far would hers? She could eat in the kitchen with the uncomfortably cold draft. Or she could eat in the great room in the uncomfortable silence.

With a nervous swallow, she picked up her plate and set it beside his on the tray. When she walked into the great room she saw him sitting predictably in his chair, staring into the fireplace as he waited. How was it that he got anyone to fear him? He didn't seem frightening at all. Not when his mind appeared to be elsewhere. She took a deep breath and boldly walked into the room with their dinner. She placed his in front of him as always, then looked at her own, she hadn't thought this through entirely. There was no chair at the other end of the table. It sat by the fire, and although she'd never seen him sit there, because he always sat at his wheel, she knew it was still "his". But it was warmer up here, and she really didn't want to admit defeat before even battling and take her dinner back to the freezing kitchen.

He was watching her. Curious as to why she was still standing there, she could feel his eyes roam over her and sudden appearance of the second dinner plate, wondering what was going on? She didn't want him to see her confusion and turmoil. She had to be brave. She had to be confident. She had to be bold! And so, pretending like it was nothing, like she didn't notice him watching her, like she did this all the time, she picked up her own plate and planted herself in his chair by the fire, her back to him so she couldn't see his reaction. Then took a bite and tried to focus on the warmth of the fire shrouding her comfort as his unseen presence fought to make her feel insecure. She listened as she continued to eat, probably a little too enthusiastically in her efforts, but finally, after what seemed like forever, she heard his utensils begin to scrape against the plate as he broke his gaze and began to eat. She sighed quietly and closed her eyes in relief as she let her head fall against the back of his chair. His chair. Another silent infraction she'd commit tonight. Another infraction he didn't seem to mind, or if he did, wouldn't voice. Her mind told her to say something. To explain. To attempt some sort of conversation. But none came. They continued to dine in uncomfortable silence.

She didn't know what she'd thought her life would be like when she first met him in her father's war room. She pictured being endlessly depressed, never touching a book again, never feeling the joy that simply smelling the flowers had given her. She pictured herself disappearing into the walls of a dark gray castle, losing a bit more of her personality every day, becoming something that she'd never dreamed of. She thought she might look back on her life at her father's palace with jealous remembrance, even thinking of the things that she'd hated with envy. She pictured him screaming at her, ordering her around, and trying her best to stay away from him. If someone had told her the day that she'd met him that none of it was true, that someday they would sit together eating in one room, admittedly in tense silence and without looking at each other, she never would have believed them.

She didn't know what her future had held, but she knew this, strange and indescribable as it was, it was not what she had pictured. And she didn't know what would happen in the months to come, but she knew that she should begin to expect the unexpected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aw...they like each other. Of course, two people who have never experienced love, or true romantic, falling in love, love would never see it that way and so they don't really know what to do and it turns into an awkward sidestep every time they see each other. This chapter really exists for two reasons, one is to show that awkwardness developing between them so that I can break it later and the second is to show that Belle is actually proficent in her job and likes it. I don't know about you but I always that though she looked like she liked her job. It might have been awkward at first but it's something that I could really see her embracing throughout the series and feeling like she was meant to do it rather than...princessing...is that a word? It is now. Well, what better way to show that she's beginning to like it than have Regina frighten her by possibly wanting to take it away from her, right? I hope you enjoyed that little touch!
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	14. Changing Times

One of the first things she'd learned in the castle was that he was an early riser and always released her first thing so she could get started just as early as he did. Every morning since she first arrived, she had awoken to the sound of the lock on her door clicking open. The obnoxious sound of the lock would wake her up immediately, making her long for the days when she had slept soundly until her body naturally woke her up when it was ready. It was perhaps the one thing she had yet to accept about her new life.

But this morning was different. There was no noise to startle her awake and when she looked around her room she found her door slightly ajar at the angle she'd left it last night, and as hard as she tried, she just couldn't remember him locking it. Surprised, she fumbled out of bed and smiled as she examined the door, as if she would be able to see if she had just been deep in sleep and hadn't heard the lock or if he really hadn't bothered. She tried to cook the breakfast without thinking about it, but it kept creeping back into her head. Reading anything, anytime she wanted? Sleeping until she saw fit? No more locks, her comings and goings her own responsibility again? Could he really be learning to trust her? Or had his effort to avoid her presence finally peeked?

The clock chiming startled her from her thoughts and like she had for the past week she carried two plates of breakfast up to him at the proper predictable time. It wasn't so much punctuality he cared about as habit. As their latest "habit" dictated, neither one of them said anything as she sat a plate in front of him then grabbed her own and sat down with her back to him in the arm chair that he kept by the fire. But even though they didn't share any kind of conversation through the awkward silence there was a relaxing feeling that came with the clanking and clattering of silverware that wasn't her own.

She really didn't know what to make of their sudden silences, they'd had no problem yelling at each other before Robin Hood. It was strange, it made her wonder sometimes why he had wanted her there at all? She was his caretaker, but in some ways she was beginning to feel like he was hers as well. Lately, she'd begun to notice certain things that gave her pause, things she hadn't noticed before crept into her mind during the silent times.

It started, she supposed, when he had refused to turn her over to that monster of a Sheriff. Anyone else might have seen her as a tradable commodity, but he hadn't. He'd protected her, and it said more about his true nature than he would ever admit to. Then there was the library of course. That had a been a big one. But there were other, smaller ways she was seeing it. She'd never tended to the fire and yet it was always blazing when she came in, keeping her warm against the bitter chill of the mountains. Once or twice she even caught them flaring to life the moment she walked inside, as if he'd bewitched them to ignite at her presence. And then there was this. Although she knew that the arm chair she ate in was his, he never complained when she first sat down in it to eat. And he didn't say anything about how she now read here every night after dinner.

She stared into the fireplace and finally she heard the scrape of the chair legs and the slam of the door that signaled his wordless departure. With a sigh, she leaned her head back against the chair and looked at the ceiling, letting her thoughts drift over the awkward silences and small meaningful gestures. He never thanked her, but she never thanked him either. Sometimes she felt like she was living in a house with a very solid looking ghost. Maybe it was easier that way. There was no tension or ill will between the two of them, not anymore. Their arguments and spiteful deeds seemed to be forgotten once he'd given her that library. And they seemed to have come to a silent agreement that she wouldn't get in the way of his dealings as long as he didn't flaunt them about. But being in the same room together was still something neither appeared to be able to master. Was it a good sign or a bad one?

She shook the thought from her head. Breakfast was over and there were chores to be done. And so, she began her morning routine. She took their dishes back to the dark kitchen and set them to soak. Then she went back to her dungeon room, setting aside the blankets that she'd been stockpiling for the cold nights to come she made the pitiful excuse for a bed, and picked up the book that had fallen between the folds. She gathered her cleaning supplies and walked the long way up to her library. It was her favorite part of the week. Exchanging a finished book for a new one always put a beaming smile on her face. But the promise of new adventure would have to wait for a later time. For now, she had chores to do.

She was now on a mission to bring light and life back to the haunting gray walls around her. She'd been working her way from the topmost floor of the castle to the bottom. It was large so there was only a room or two that she could get done in a day, but tea time broke up the work nicely. If she was working at a good pace, she could usually do one room in the morning and then the other after tea time.

The extensive cleaning that they required was exhausting and she longed for the day when all she had to do was light maintenance work. But she was determined to get it all done. There were only two more rooms to do on this floor, she was looking forward to being able to move on to another tomorrow. She did the same thing to all the rooms, nothing lavish just the basics. She cleaned, dusted, and straightened the room. She stripped the bed to wash the linens and remake them the next day. And made sure to pull all the curtains back adding light to his beloved 'dark castle'.

As she heard the chime of the clock telling her it was time to prepare their tea she looked proudly around the room. Nearly fit for a king, or guests at least. Not that they'd ever have any. Last but not least he went to the windows and threw back the curtains to greet the sun. But instead of being enveloped in light she found herself in a cloud of dust so thick she sputtered and when she reared back she tripped over her skirts, adding another rip to her once elegant attire as she fell to the floor. She coughed and rubbed her eyes free of the dust. The plume began to fade into the floor and she looked down at herself. It was everywhere: in her hair, on her skin, and on, yes even in, her gown.

Her pride was doused by a sudden wave of sorrow for how far she had fallen, literally and figuratively. It usually didn't bother her. If she didn't focus on it she never thought of it but sometimes it crept up on her without warning. Elegant princess to overly dressed maid. It was a long fall indeed. She was fighting to hold back tears when she heard another chime of the clock, reminding her that she was behind schedule. She was grateful for the sudden distraction, it was enough to let her get a hold of herself again. This wasn't who she was: sitting here about to weep because she'd fallen down in the dust. No! She wasn't going to sulk in her own misery, she was going to go and get tea together and tonight she would repair the damage to her only item of dress, wishing that it was better suited for the tasks at hand. She bravely swallowed the lump in her throat, stood up, brushed herself off as best she could and left the room to begin the tea.

Hurrying, she started the tea and grabbed a bucket of water to scrub her face and shoulders clean of the debris she had uncovered. The dress was a hopeless case but it had been for a long time. She did her best to make it presentable again but gave up as the tea was ready. How she had managed to clean herself and prepare the tea in time was a mystery to her, but she brought it up to the room only a few minutes behind schedule. He looked her over as she carried it in. She'd seen the look that was on his face before; it was as though he was seeing her for the very first time. It was as if she amazed him or dazzled him somehow. Like each time he was surprised that she hadn't left yet. It was looks like that which made this arrangement uncomfortable, that made her blush because somehow she felt like he could see into her like no one ever had before.

She set the tray down, watching him pick up the chipped cup as she took her place at the fire, book in her lap, enjoying her few moments of break. But instead of reading today she stared into the fire, letting the warmth soak into her skin, chasing away the cold, and pushing the sorrow she had uncovered upstairs back down into its hidden crevice.

"Servanthood not everything you hoped it would be?" he said so suddenly in his high pitched voice it surprised her. In fact, she glanced around the room making sure no one else was there and that he was in fact talking to her. When she met his gaze again he lifted his eye brows, still waiting on an answer. He gestured to her, smiling, "You look as though you lost a fight with a dusty curtain." How he always knew what she had been doing escaped her. She simply assumed that it was magic of some kind, or maybe part of his ability to see into the future, or maybe he really was just that good at guessing.

"It's nothing I can't handle," she assured him, putting a stop to his questioning. She sat back in her chair, fumbling with her tattered and foul smelling garment, trying to act as though his words weren't getting to her when she had thought them herself only a short while ago. He didn't move, just stared into the fire with her, from the corner of her eye she could see him casting strange glances at her as he sipped his tea. He usually partook from his seat at the table. And she was glad when she finally saw him drain the chipped cup and swiftly leave the room.

She let the air out of her lungs, and glanced at the door he departed from; being sure he was gone before she took the tea back to the kitchen, his words still ringing in her ear. The truth of the matter was that she normally didn't have these kind of issues. Servanthood actually was something that she felt she was very good at. And remarkable as it was, sometimes it was even something that she found she enjoyed. The cleaning gave her an opportunity to be busy and to make the castle into what she wanted it to be. Any other tea time she would have told him that herself, he'd just picked a wrong time to ask the question.

She was being silly, and over thinking it. He hadn't meant to make fun of her, he had merely been trying to defuse that strange feeling in the empty space between them. He'd tried to have a conversation, and she'd passed it up! Maybe he sought her company far more than she realized. Somehow instead of putting her mind at ease, it made her feel even worse. It wouldn't happen again. Next time she would be ready, she would welcome it in fact. Maybe it was the only way to change the current status of their interactions.

With the sun sinking she walked back up to where she had left off, and moved into the next room, refusing to let the previous events disrupt her. She followed the routine, opening the curtains first this time, a little more hesitantly, to let the light in. She stripped the bed, finding a nice blanket that she could use to pad the small wooden bed in her cell, and set the sheets aside for the wash. She righted the tables and dusted them off until they gleamed. Then she went to the large closet, opened the doors...and stopped with a surprised gasp.

She found the usual, of course, old shoes and musty old jackets. But hanging up beside them was a dress, and the other items paled in comparison to it. It was the first dress she had seen in the castle. It wasn't dusty like the others and it didn't smell like it had been sitting there forgotten for very long. It was beautiful. Blue, like the color of the clear sky up in these mountains. The blue she always favored because it matched her eyes so well. In fact, it almost reminded her of the lace blue dress she'd left behind in her fathers palace. Same cut, same color, if it weren't for the missing petticoats and lace she'd have said they were identical. Timidly she reached out and touched the linen. It was softer than her dress had been, but also made of sturdier material. Next to it was a plain white undershirt, looking cleaner than snow, also soft but strong, and below it a pair of cream shoes.

They were simple but they seemed to enchant her. She removed them from the closet, looking around the room, expecting to find him looking over her shoulder. They were perfect. Far more suitable than the gown she was wearing now, although the short sleeves wouldn't do her any good outside, not in this cold weather. Nevertheless, it was clean and she laid them out on the freshly stripped bed. Was it just her desires playing tricks on her, or did it look like they would fit her perfectly. She took a step back, away from temptation. She shouldn't. It wasn't proper. Blankets were one thing, but this?! If a maid in her father's castle had taken something like this, even if it was forgotten, there would be dire consequences! But...she couldn't help but feel like it was meant for her! Just as her library had been!

She looked down at her own gown. It was nowhere near its former glory. Covered in dust, the mud from the long journey into the woods along the bottom, ripped, torn, and tattered, the puff of the skirts was scratchy and made doing her job more difficult. The jewels remained, but somehow they lost their value compared to the cleaner simpler garment before her now.

No, she really shouldn't. But she found she couldn't help herself. Slowly she stripped herself of the muck she wore. She put on the shirt, making adjustments as she went to suit her own preferences. She was able to leave her stockings on; they'd been protected by the larger gown since she got here, and she found that the skirt settled perfectly over her waist before stepping into the tan shoes. Finally she pulled the corset on, and tied it with the strong black thread. She couldn't get rid of her mother's necklace, she refused to do that, but she found that it suited the outfit perfectly.

She was comfortable. Possibly for the first time since she'd arrived, she felt like she could breathe, she felt right. It was amazing what a clean set of clothes could do. She thought that she would feel like she was betraying her old self but instead she felt as though she was embracing a new self, a self that actually belonged here, the kind that saved friends instead of watched them die, the self that was perfectly happy to cook and clean. If she didn't know any better she would have thought that he had placed this here just for her.

The thought crashed into her like a rolling wave. Was that where he had gone after tea? Did he do this for her? Like he lit the fires? Like he turned a blind eye when she made herself comfortable in his chair? Was that why it was so clean and perfect? So fresh? Or had this truly just been a coincidence? She couldn't work anymore. She was suddenly excited at the prospect and hurried downstairs to sit in the arm chair. It was still too early for him to be finished with his work and go to spin, but she wanted to be there when he did. She wanted to see his face when he saw her. Curiosity clawed at her, she had to know. Was she right? Had he done this for her? Or would he be angry at her taking what wasn't hers? She read as she waited, her eyes only taking in every other word, unable to keep her mind off of what would happen when he saw her in it. Would he be mad? Would he care? Would he think she looked just as beautiful in this as she had in the ball gown?

She gawked at her own thoughts. Why would she care about that?! His opinions concerning her didn't matter to her. Did they?

She heard the door open just after sunset and she stilled with frightful anticipation. Out of the corner of her eye he appeared walking over to the spinning wheel just as usual. But when he realized she was there, he stopped. She looked up. They stared for a while. He took in the sight of her. She held her breath, bracing herself for his reaction. She watched him, waiting, as he looked, his eyes roaming over her. Both daring the other to make the first move.

When the clock chimed they both jumped. He looked away. She breathed again. As quickly as it had begun their trance was broken. Quietly he sat at his spinning wheel and began creating his gold, paying her no heed, just like any day. She glanced between him and the fire, and then sat back in the chair relieved of all tension that she had felt. The new book rested against her new skirts, and she finally began to to truly read. It was quiet, but it didn't feel strange like it had this morning. The squeal of the wheel, his presence, somehow it didn't make her feel awkward...but comfortable, safe, peaceful even. She wasn't sure how it could happen so fast, but in a matter of seconds their deafening silence had turned to companionable space. It was remarkable, and it felt strangely like home, maybe even more relaxing than she had been in her father's palace.

She shook her head at the stray thought. Out with the old, in with the new. A smile passed over her lips and she sat back in her chair and returned to page one to start over again before dinner.

Yes, things were definitely different.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I first started writing this fiction no chapter was requested more than this chapter. How did Belle get her blue dress. Well...I didn't want Rumple to just flat out give it to her, at this part of their relationship he doesn't really seem to do that and it was out of character. So I hope you'll find this an acceptable way he could do that, he gave it to her without givingit to her, he made it for her to make her feel comfortable without having to make himself uncomfortable as well. I also wanted to have a chapter like this, where Belle was just having a bad day and was in a bad mood because of something so small as falling over because in my mind it just makes her more human. It shows her flaws and what I like about the bad mood and then the gift afterwards is that this becomes a chapter that shows more of Rumple's growth than her own. He reaches out to her possibly in the only way he knows how as he gets to know her because Rumple isn't just Belle's mystery; she is his mystery as well!
> 
> Thank you Heart_of_a_oncer for your latest comment! I always worry people won't like those filler chapters but I keep putting them in because I just feel like they are terribly important no matter what goes into it. Even if it's something small like eating dinner together, I think it's something we would have liked to have seen that just wouldn't adapt well to the TV show but I can work with for my fiction! I hope you'll enjoy this chapter as well...filler or not. Peace and Happy Reading!


	15. Curiosity Caught the Mouse

"I'm off for a few days, Dearie!" she jumped at his words, her back to him in the kitchen as she stirred the soup that she was making for the first time tonight. "Try not to drown in dust while I'm gone!"

She composed herself quickly, despite his surprise visit. She didn't think that he'd been down here since he'd actually shown her the kitchen, still she forced her heart to stop racing and managed to pass her startled gasp off as a hiccup. Yes, things were different in the castle now, ever since Robin Hood and her library, ever since he'd given her this dress. But some days she honestly wasn't sure if the change was good or bad.

Over the last few weeks he'd been venturing out of the castle more and more on trips, expeditions she supposed. He always came back with something or another, some new artifact for his strange little collection. She figured that in some ways it was a compliment. He was leaving her alone in the castle sometimes for days on end…it must've meant that he trusted her enough not to run away. And for good reason, after everything that had happened, she had no desire to run away and not just because she knew he'd catch her.

"Where to this time?" she questioned putting her ladle back into the soup and wiping her hands on an apron she'd found hanging just the other day next to a pair of thick wool stocks to guard against the cold that the misty rain brought. It wasn't a terrible surprise to her. Yesterday she'd spilled tea on her dress and stockings, she'd spent the entire night washing them out and muttering to herself about being more careful with the little bit that she'd owned and, just as her dress had after the dusty curtains fiasco, the apron and stockings had all but appeared out of nowhere the next day. The silent gifts made her smile. That was a change that she liked, that she knew without a doubt was good! There was something more to him, she knew there was.

"Ever heard of a quaint little Kingdom called…Camelot?"

Camelot.  _The_ Camelot?! She felt her eyes widen with excitement. Of course she'd heard of it, she'd heard of hundreds of Kingdoms when she was a girl, it was all part of her training! She'd been sheltered in her father's palace never permitted to go anywhere without good reason but Camelot was one of the places she'd dreamed about more than most places! Perhaps because the tales she did manage to hear of it were tales that reminded her of the heroes and knights she met in her books. The women were the kind of women she'd always longed to be! The kind that wouldn't have needed their mothers and friends to risk their lives so that they could live. That he was going there himself…she had to admit it, she felt a little jealous.

"Yes…yes of course!" she muttered astounded. "Camelot is…" Amazing? Wonderful? A real life fantasy?!

"Don't get your hopes up!" he bit out immediately. "You're not coming." Her hopes couldn't go down, because they'd never gone up to begin with. She knew that she wouldn't be going with him, that much was predictable. He never took her with him, considering the way that he acted around her now, it didn't surprise her. They weren't awkward anymore! Their silences were never tense, they were always peaceful! She was beginning to feel like he didn't just see her as a "maid" as he'd described not long ago. They talked now...and that was one of the changes that she was less fond of.

Their talking wasn't exactly the kind of talking that she would prefer. It was teasing. Instead of allowing the awkward stumbling or peaceful silences he preferred to make jokes and laugh at her. She did her best not to let it get to her, to not get angry or annoyed at him. Whenever it happened she reminded herself that she understood, she knew what it meant, what was truly happening! He was getting used to having her around, for the first time, possibly in a very long time based on what she'd once read, he was getting used to living with another human being. It was new and like any new thing he was scared of it, so he responded by pushing her away at first and when that hadn't worked to his satisfaction he began to run away.

The problem was that remembering that fact didn't always come as easily as she would have liked and sometimes, on the days she forgot, his jokes struck a nerve she found herself stomping around the castle, angry at him for being so childish! If he was getting used to having her around he should just have a normal conversation with her! Would that really kill him?! But...all thngs considered, it was fine with her. He teased. She got angry. He went out. They had their time alone. In the end he always came back, she always tried to have a conversation with him again, and the process repeated itself. It was a slow start, but at least it was something...she wasn't ready to say it was hopeless just yet. She was waiting for the day that he'd come back and the process wouldn't repeat, it would change and they'd find that they could have an intelligible conversation with each other. She was determined to make that happen!

"When should I expect you back?" she asked with a coy smirk.

"When I get back!" he responded with a giggle after a pause. His voice was different. His mask was on. It was only more proof. He was protecting himself from getting close to her. But the more time she spent, here in his castle, the more time she spent with him and caught glimpses of what he could and did do, the more she was determined to rip that mask off, whether he liked it or not!

"Well, I made dinner," she muttered glancing over at the stew she had over the fire, "when will you be leaving?"

It was quiet again as his eyes shifted from the stew to her, then back again and again a few more times. Finally he broke into a wide smile and with a flourish of his hands squealed "now!" and disappeared in a flash of black and red.

She felt her jaw drop and had the urge to feel terribly insulted…but then stopped and only shook her head with a smirk. Running. He was running. She had to keep reminding herself of that. She had to keep telling herself that he was trying to push her away to get her to feel so insulted that she hated him and he would only be doing that if there was something to be scared of. It was remarkable. A terrible beast frightened of his caretaker, of simply another presence! It was laughable, but it wasn't what kept her up at night. She wanted to know why! There was a reason for it. She knew there was! It was that old riddle, coming back to haunt her again! She just wished she could figure out the answer!

And...maybe convince him to take her with him sometime on a journey. She would love to see the world outside of these walls, though under much better circumstances than hunting that thief Robin Hood down out of spite and revenge. The world…all of it…what must it have been like for him to simply poof himself from place to place to place as he did? To see wonderful things?! To meet heroes and knights?! To go on profitable adventures and bring back those remarkable souvenirs?! The only thing she'd ever brought back from her sole "adventure" was guilt. She'd hardly call that a souvenir.

And what made his souvenirs so special anyway? Why did he want them all so much? She knew why. They were magical! But still there was so much magic in the world...why did he want those magical items?

She glanced over her shoulder at the soup, still hours away from being done, with time to spare…no, no she couldn't do it! She wouldn't. It wasn't right! Besides, she was finally getting a hold on being a "caretaker", there were other things that needed done, chores she had to do! She had the castle to herself for a few days, she could do what she wanted to do, maybe even sleep in and take a break one afternoon to read…but she shouldn't do that.

Shouldn't wasn't couldn't.

That thought crept into her mind nearly all day. She cleaned in the morning, another room upstairs just as her new schedule demanded. She had tea in silence in front of the fireplace and tried not to stare at the tempting idols around the room that seemed to quietly dare her to take a closer look. Another room done in the afternoon. Reading before bed and up in the morning to do it again! All the while she wondered where he was. Who he was meeting what he was seeing? He was running, she knew that, but she wondered if it was working. Did he know he was running? Did he find himself up late at night wondering what she was doing? Or checking in on her that magical way that she knew he did because of her new clothes! Did he give into his curiosity? Or did he fight it off like she was…or had.

He'd barely been gone a day before she cracked. Though not as intently as she originally thought she would. It was true, when she woke up and found that he was absent for breakfast again she ran up into her library thinking she could take advantage of her time alone and read a bit. There was a book on a foreign language that she had yet to learn, elfish, and she was eager to get started, to educate herself even within these walls as she once had within her father's palace. But a language required paper and an ink quill…where was she supposed to find anything like that?!

Suddenly, every answer became simple and clear. She wasn't looking around at his things, if she was looking for something else. Right?

She searched his tower first, his dreary lair. It seemed the most obvious place for paper and quills and she was right for half of that. Ink and quills, right there on the table next to peculiar items…magical items. She reached out to touch them, to feel them, but pulled away quickly. There was a difference between an ordinary souvenir and magic. All magic came with a price and she'd rather not pay something she couldn't afford simply by accident. Some days she already felt like she was too deep in debt to magic.

So she took the ink and the quill and left quickly…but then what about the paper? Had she seen paper since she'd been here? He'd been writing in his tower but it all appeared to be notes in books. Surely there had to be paper around here somewhere…somewhere interesting to explore…like their room!

There were a couple of shelves of books! Maybe she'd find some there? She set the ink and quill aside and hurried down the staircase, ignoring the predictable flare of the fire as she walked in and went to those shelves. Books. Nothing but books. She tore through book after book after book, sliding each one aside hoping to find a scrap of paper and maybe something more interesting hiding withing the selves, but there was nothing. On either side…

The cabinet! She'd yet to really go through that cabinet, and things seemed to move in it so often that it was difficult to keep track of what was really there! Was it possible? Could there be paper there? And maybe something a bit more special-

No! No, if she thought that then she really was snooping. She was looking for paper. Anything else she happened to find was just a happy coincidence.

She grabbed a step stool and pulled the cabinet doors open and looked carefully at the items inside. Vases, books, a small statue of a lion, more books, a few glass vials filled with liquid that she couldn't resist reaching out for and touching. Still no paper…but there was something interesting. Something that didn't look or feel magic, something she'd seen sitting out before that seemed to rotate in and out of his collection. A sword. She knew she shouldn't, that it wasn't paper, that it would mean that she really was looking for something that she shouldn't be but…a sword! Like the one Gaston had given her for their engagement. Like the kind all the soldiers and heroes and brave men carried. What would she have given to learn to use a sword in her youth instead of locking herself away in the tower learning language after language out of sheer boredom! She'd always wanted to pick one up and have a few swings, give it a try, but…

Before she could stop herself it was already in her hands. It was heavier than she thought it would be. But beautiful to her. It felt good and natural to hold. Comfortable. And if she'd ever been permitted to learn she could only imagine that she would have-

"Don't cut yourself dearie!"

She jumped at the voice behind her, shocked that she suddenly wasn't alone, and felt the sword fall from her hands. She only just barely managed to get a grip on the handle before it was too late. "I'm so, so sorry," she began, her heart racing too fast for her to think to claim any kind of innocence. "I thought-"

"You thought," Rumpelstiltskin interrupted taking a few steps closer, "I would be away for a few more days and it would be fine to play with my…toys!" he chastised, seizing the sword from her grasp. But his tone settled her. He wasn't mad. She'd seen him when he was mad and this wasn't mad. Amused. He appeared amused again, just as she had when she dropped that tea cup. Maybe this wasn't as bad as it seemed.

"Well you did say that I-"

"Oh!" he piqued. "I lied." She felt anger flare in her stomach. He'd lied? He'd lied about her being alone all this time? No, no she knew he'd gone! But he'd been back, watching her all this time. How cruel! "I wanted to see how the mouse would play when the cat was away…" he commented, striding towards the table. "And the mouse has done…very little cleaning!" he reached down to the table and moved a finger over it. Ordinarily she might feel insulted at what he was saying, but instead she had to fight back a proud gleam. This meant she was right. He did watch her somehow. Near or far, she didn't know how, but he did watch. Which, also at the moment meant that he knew how guilty she was. She hadn't cleaned today. How much he knew about her search for "paper"…she knew he'd probably figure it out on his own. Why deny it? He liked his things, they were beginning to grow more and more tolerant of one another. She was looking for a way to talk with him without his incessant teasing. Maybe this was an opportunity to begin figuring out how! How far would flattery get her she wondered?

"It's just that you've so many things here!" she gawked, looking back at the cabinet and everything she'd managed to leave untouched. "From all over the world…I was curious!" she admitted as he set the sword on the table. "And…you never talk about them!"

"Well, you're the help!" he explained away. But it was the wrong tone for an explanation. He hadn't explained anything, simply created a weak excuse. Still, this time his answer more than upset her, it made her furious. This time she couldn't hold it down. Just "the help"? Did he really believe that after Robin Hood? After this dress, and the chaise, and his chair! No! She refused to believe that! And she refused to settle for it either, for that matter!

Without thinking, without wondering if she could get away with it on not, her legs took long angry strides over to face her accuser. "And you're rude!" she chastised boldly.

"Well I can be much worse!" he fought back. But there was no kick to it. No threat. No cruelty at all even! It was teasing. Just as she'd suspected. And it may have cooled her temper but she was only willing to let teasing go so far. Especially when he did manage to cross a line and make her angry. No one ever made her as angry as he did. Not her father or Gaston. And she wasn't going to let him make meaningless threats either. It was beneath them both!

"Mmm, but you're not," she commented, catching his attention again. She could see him reeling, winding up to strike another half-hearted blow, but she wasn't interested in teasing! She was interested in…this! In him, these things, the stories he had! She'd rather talk with him about that, uncover a little more of what she knew that she'd seen outside these walls with Robin Hood, than throw unimportant words at one another as they fought for dominance!

"Look," she settled, moving before he could, speaking before he could come up with something else to say. She let him have some distance, sat on the table away from him, and tried to find a decent way to move on. "You have seen the world, something that I have always wanted to do, yet you share nothing!" Didn't he realize how cruel that was? And to bring back these remarkable things and say nothing about it?! To just let her wonder! That was torture!

"Mouthy, mouthy!" he taunted. "And foolishly brave!" Foolishly brave?! For speaking up?! For daring to try and engage him in conversation instead of just sitting idly in the room with him night after night?! No, that wasn't it. He was just pushing her away. Fighting to keep her in her place, but after everything that happened, they both knew…she wasn't the help. She didn't know where that put her in his life exactly. But she knew where it didn't put her. She wasn't afraid of him anymore. She'd seen the beast within, but she'd also seen the man. Hadn't he realized that yet?

"You know, if you were going to kill me…you would have done it long ago," she pointed out. He appeared to be surprised by the comment. Put off almost. Did that mean he really didn't see that yet! Hadn't counted the numerous times that he'd had the opportunity to take her life out of punishment and cruelty and yet still sat here. Maybe he hadn't. But she'd let him dwell on that in his own time, better that than let him consider proving her wrong right now! They'd started a conversation, she wanted to have a conversation with him, just like they should have had last time.

"Now, tell me what you've seen! How was your trip to Camelot?!" she asked, a pleasant question anyone should be asked when returning from a journey! Would he see it that way?

"Good for me…" he answered, making her smile because it had actually worked! She'd asked a question. And he'd answered. "Not so good for Camelot," he added suddenly, moving away from her making her smile vanish. Perhaps with Rumpelstiltskin less was more. Maybe she really should be more careful to ask something she was sure she wanted the answer to. But as she looked over at him to try again, to find something else to discuss, something he wouldn't answer vaguely or in riddles…something appeared in his hand in a puff of black and red smoke.

A glove. A glove like a knight or anyone wearing chainmail might have. Her stomach turned for a moment when she saw it and she silently hoped there wouldn't still be a hand left inside. "A souvenir!" Rumple piqued, presenting it to her. "Clean it for me, will you?!"

"Ah..." no, a simple inspection revealed there was no hand inside, it was just the metal glove. That was a relief but…it was such a strange thing to come back with! "Well, what is it?" she questioned looking it over.

"The Magic Gauntlet!" he answered with an excited proper flourish that made her smile as she continued to look it over. Talking. It was nice. "With a very specific power…it can locate anyone's greatest weakness!"

"Mmm, how ominous..." Well, it wasn't exactly a fairy tale, but she supposed she understood…no, she didn't understand. Why would he need something like this? She'd seen him with that sheriff he didn't need to know weaknesses, he just acted! Or was it that he didn't know what his own greatest weakness was?! She'd barely been here and yet she felt sure she could name a few character defects. Pride. Arrogance. Stubborn to the point of pigheadedness. "Wait…but..." she looked up and sought him out. Moving too quickly and quietly, that was another. "Why do you need this?! With all your power you could destroy any foe!"

"Ah…if you must know, it's about manipulation!" he answered, sounding far more excited to answer than annoyed. On the one hand she wanted to be happy about that. On the other, she knew she should be repulsed by it. "And for that…you must find one's weakness, and for almost everyone that weakness is the thing they love most. This will simply point me in the right direction!" he answered with a telling point.

Manipulation, as in forcing a persons hand, deals? He'd already done that with her father without the use of this glove, why on earth did he want something he didn't need?!

"But I don't understand-"

"Which isn't my problem!" he answered. "I've answered your questions, you've done very little cleaning! Between the two of us, you've been downright rude and lazy!" Lazy?! Lazy! No she wouldn't stand for being called lazy after everything she was doing for him! "Off! Off you go! I want that spotless before dinner!" he commanded. "Or next time the cat leaves, the mouse will find herself very unhappy with the new rules."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Obviously this chapter was added in after 4x11. I set it here because it fit. Their relationship does grow over their time together and you can kind of tell where they are at with each other if you really examine it and throw a few of the blanks in there. Obviously in the Robin Hood episode we see anger and in Skin Deep, toward the end, we see respect and more or less two friends that really don't know they are friends. Here she is in her blue dress so it obviously comes after the Robin Hood but I figured the teasing conversations they have is a natural step up from the awkward silence they were experiencing. In my mind, during the awkward silence Rumple is going through the "I don't like her...but the company is nice" phase, which I figured ended in the last chapter when he saw her in the blue dress and had his moment of "crap she's really pretty and I kind of like her...better not let her know" and so we arrive in this next group of chapters where that is signified by him tried to push her away and make sure that she doesn't catch on to how much he likes her by teasing and just generally not being around. I know in the series it all seems abrupt that they take a step back, from "here have a library" to "don't touch my stuff" and it seems like a step back, but I hope that with the addition of a few extra steps, like the awkward silence phase, it begins to make sense.
> 
> Thank you Heart_of_a-oncer for your comments on the last chapter. Quiet as it is the blue dress is always going to be one of my favorite moments too and I'm so thrilled that you thought it was all in character for not just Belle but also Rumple! That's my goal! I love knowing that I'm on track! Peace and Happy Reading!


	16. Give and Taken

Lazy! After all she'd learned to do and done to make this castle better, he dared to call her lazy?! She's show him, he'd see...the last thing she'd ever be known for was being lazy!

And so she cleaned. And cleaned and brushed and scrapped and scrubbed until that glove shone! And as for that ridiculous little threat he'd given...she wasn't an idiot. There would be no new rules and he wouldn't hurt her if she didn't finish on time. In the end what he'd meant to sound menacing and threatening had come out sounding more like a challenge to her "laziness" than anything. Could she clean that glove before dinner? Absolutely. In fact, she couldn't wait to show him that she could! She couldn't wait to prove to him once and for all that she'd adjusted well to this life, that she wasn't hopeless at it, and yet she'd lost nothing of who she was!

Spite drove her as she scrubbed. Fury moved her to think of her next step. If he was going to try and make her simply "the help", he'd find that he failed, even sitting in her kitchen cleaning armor and making dinner she felt like she was more than that, without rhyme or reason why! It was complicated. Her feelings toward him were complicated, fluctuating from minute to minute. She felt like they were playing games. "Cat and mouse" perhaps. And while she didn't like it, she was determined to show him that she could play, that she was a fair match for him. That he didn't scare her like he could "the help", that he couldn't hide from her behind his little mask, and she certainly had the ability to be more than just "the help"!

Lazy! No one had ever made her so angry in her life.

She was proud of herself when she finished with the glove that night, so proud she presented it with their dinner. He noticed. The moment she brought everything in he grabbed it off the tray like a child with a new toy and looked it over, as if trying to find something wrong with it before glancing up at her with something like unbelieving amazement and for a second, just one, his jaw hung open ever so slightly. It was probably the best compliment that she'd ever gotten out of him, probably the only one that she'd ever get, but she wouldn't hold it over him, or make him uncomfortable, not after how he'd found her yesterday. Instead she gloated with only a small telling smirk and a raised eyebrow that told him she'd meet any challenge he threw at her, before grabbing her plate of food and happily taking her place by the fire. She'd won that round. And he knew it…

Looking around, or snooping, as she had might not have been her best endeavor, but it wasn't fruitless either, as proven by the stack of paper, ink, and quills she found just sitting in her library the next morning before she went to do her chores. Her reward, she assumed. Or bribery. She hadn't exactly been friendly that morning at breakfast when she'd hardly said two words for him and set his plate down so hard she'd worried it broke. He knew she was unhappy with him. Perhaps this was his way of getting back in her good graces. She smirked. That thought coupled with the small tokens he'd left her finally cooled the irritation he'd ignited in her when he returned and she had the sudden urge to find him and say thank you, show him how human beings acted and spoke with one another, but then wondered if she should just say thank you without finding him. He'd hear her. She knew he would! He always seemed to be listening, always seemed to be watching her in some strange way, the evidence was right in front of her!

But there was more to it than just being watched or listened too. She didn't feel like he was spying on her. She felt like his watching was something more. Like he was trying, reaching out the only way that he knew how…or maybe in the only way that worked. Maybe that was her fault. The day that he'd given her this dress, just before that he'd tried to have a conversation with her and she'd been so caught up in herself that she'd shut it down completely. Maybe running away and listening or watching was the only way he could get to know her.

Or maybe there was something else. Something more. Something that prevented him getting any closer than he already was. They liked talking. He acted as though he didn't and did his best to seem uninterested and keep his mask in place but she knew that she'd been right yesterday. If he'd wanted to kill her he would have done it by now. He would have truly punished her for going through his things instead of just teasing with her. He wouldn't tolerate her friendly conversations or ask her questions! No, there was something more…or maybe it was something less.

Friendship, companionship, whatever it was that they were getting closer to, whatever it was that drove him away from her for days on end it required something. Give and take. Dresses, stockings, aprons, libraries, even paper. Yes. He had the ability to give. But did he have the ability to take. To take something that her presence alone offered him. The only way she could figure that was if…if he was missing something. Something that went deeper than his precious things.

It was as if there was a hole in his heart.

Was that it? The answer to her riddle to why he acted the way he did? A hole in his heart? The thought saddened her. It was all she could think of through the morning, after breakfast, as she cleaned a room and went down to make tea. A hole in his heart! It sounded terribly painful, but not physically! It sounded lonely. Terribly, horribly lonely. Was that why he continued to collect things, stupid unimportant little objects. Was he trying to make up for something that he didn't have? Was he trying to fill some kind of void with adventure after adventure?! It seemed likely to her. After all wasn't that what had led her to Arendelle? A desire to fill a void that she'd had after her mothers death?! A need to solve a mystery?

She nearly stumbled at a remarkable thought. They might have something in common. She didn't know what had caused his hole, but she knew she had one of her own. One that came from suffering deep loss.

How could such a thing be cured? There was a way wasn't there? She honestly wasn't sure. She felt like she'd once spent endless days trying to find the answer to that question for herself and in the end tried to cure her own by going on an adventure, by trying to find the answers she needed...but what a failure that had been! She'd been wrong. Horribly and terribly wrong! But there were other factors involved in her failure. What about him? Was he too far gone to reach as she'd been that day on the mountain, when Anna had called out for her?

No. He wasn't a hopeless cause. He'd reached out to her before. Just once. On the day that she'd gotten this dress actually. Then it was him that had been trying to have a conversation, that had tried to engage her in something and take an interest. He wouldn't have been able to do that if he was terminal! Maybe this watching and eavesdropping he did wouldn't be as bad if she'd reached back instead of snapping at him and closing up out of the sadness she'd felt weighing her down then.

She stepped into their room with tea that afternoon, poured him a cup and couldn't help but wonder, what would happen if she reached out for him as he had? Would he take the hand that she offered this time around and see that she was more than help, that she was someone that might understand the strange affliction that was ailing him? Or had the damage already been done?

The only question that held her back was trying to think of a way to introduce the topic. "So…" she sighed as he took the tea in his hand. "I've figured out why you collect so many magical objects, like the Gauntlet from Camelot..." she began, knowing that it hadn't come out nearly as smoothly as she'd wanted it too.

He paused as he brought the cup of tea to his lips, a flicker of something passed over his face before he set the tea cup down on the table. "I really need to find you more tasks," he whispered irritated.

So he was irritated, but...she was curious! And here she was, the conversation had already begun whether or not she was ready for it and she may as well give it the best shot that she had. "You have a hole in your heart," she commented sympathetically.

She had hoped to see perhaps a spark of recognition, some stunned look on his face as she'd gotten the other day when she'd pointed out to him that he wasn't going to hurt her. But it didn't happen. He remained stone faced, stoic as ever. "No!" he chastised. "In my stomach! Because while you so ably made me tea, you forgot all about the tea cakes!" Tea cakes. With a snap of his fingers there was suddenly a plate set to his side that she'd seen downstairs, one that she'd worked hard on...and forgotten to put on the tray. "Must I do every thing?" he responded.

She tried not to show him her own irritation, the way that he constantly did this, deflected a simple conversation with some criticism of her! But it was difficult. And she realized that if he'd tried to do it in any other way, if he'd perhaps just turned his attention to a conversation about the weather or some other bit of small talk she might have dismissed it, but she wouldn't let him criticize her when she'd already proven that she did this work far better than she knew he ever dreamed she would have. "You're a lonely man," she insisted, pushed really, as he ignored her by taking a tea cake, "but the fact is no matter how many things you acquire, that's all they'll ever be...things! And...an awful way to fill a heart."

He was quiet for a moment, he sat there looking almost sad and for that one single moment she allowed herself to get excited, hoping that perhaps, even if his reaction hadn't been what she'd expected, she'd broken through to him. Perhaps, now, he might begin to talk to her, to tell her things! Perhaps, they could both fill the holes in their hearts if only they-

"There is only one thing missing in my life right now," he finally responded making her heart mysteriously skip a beat. What was he missing?! "Clean clothes," he commented quickly, then with another snap of his fingers there was something else familiar sitting out on the table, something else that she'd only just seen! Yesterday's laundry?!

"But...I..." she stepped forward to examine the pile. They were supposed to be out on the line right now! She could feel them they were still damp! They weren't dirty at all! "I...I scrubbed these just yesterday," she explained.

"Well scrub them again, Dearie!" he yelled, his tone rising in that way that could make her blood boil, a feeling that she hadn't known she was even capable of until she'd arrived here! "You're getting too big for your britches! You should remember you're place...cleaning mine!" and with that he took one of the tea cakes that she'd made, placed it on his tongue and popped it in his mouth with a triumphant smile that made her jaw drop. This?! All this, chastising her about forgotten tea cakes and forcing her redo chores that had been done perfectly the first time?! All because she'd asked a few simple questions, made a few obvious observations?! All because she was trying to engage the only other life form in this castle that she knew, somewhere deep down without a doubt, was capable of having a civilized conversation?!

She tried to swallow her anger, to shut her mouth and ignore it but as she ran her hands over the damp pile of laundry he'd laid before she felt her mouth open without her mind giving it conversation. "Maybe the next time you want to insult the person making your food you should-"

But she never got to finish that thought, because there was another snap, one that seemed to echo in her only her head as she lost her breath trying to figure out what had happened.

She was outside, holding one of the sheets that she'd stripped a bed of yesterday, her cloak shielding her from the bitter wet cold the most recent melt had left the mountain with. She was angry again, insulted, and irritated at him, where she'd been excited only seconds before. Clean clothes. More teasing. More sending her outside so he could run and hide! Stubborn, frustrating man!

"You're just upset because you know I'm right!" she snapped, her jaw locked together tightly as pinned the sheet to the line. If he thought that she was going to wash these again he was crazy! She was right! That had to be why he was pushing her away, giving her things when she wasn't looking! Watching her without being in the room. Watching…for a moment she felt nearly crazy venting her feelings to the laundry, but she wasn't crazy. She knew better. She was never truly alone here, even when she felt alone. "And no, I am not talking to myself because I know you can and do listen to me," she snapped as she finished hanging the thing!

She moved back to the laundry basket, trying to ignore what she truly believed was the worst kind of cold, wet cold, seeping into her skin with the weather that couldn't decide if it wanted to be rain or ice. He'd sent her out here with her cloak, more proof of the kindness that she was sure existed somewhere within him, but right now she only wished more than anything that the small fire she had here lit automatically for her like the ones in the castle did! That would have been-

Something made her stop, quickly, a noise. A cry? A whimper? A bark! It drew her attention to a white and black spotted dog, sitting there staring at her between the hanging laundry. A Dalmatian! She'd know that breed anywhere, they were popular in the courts! And it wasn't a dog, it was a puppy! Barely more than a few months old she suspected. How on earth would a puppy get all the way up here?! In this weather?!

She moved a little closer to it. It just sat there, looking at something just over it's shoulder before staring back up at her. "Hello puppy!" she cooed as it watched her. "Hi!" she whispered, trying to make friends with this beast rather than the one inside. "Hi!" But before she could reach down to pick him up, to figure out how it got up here or who it belonged to, or even if it was just another trick of Rumple's, the puppy ran away.

She didn't give her actions a second thought and chased after the poor thing. She couldn't let it go. The castle was miles away from anywhere and it was freezing out! If it was lost, she needed to find it! She hurried off in the direction it had gone, into the trees that began to mark the edge of this section of the property. Much farther and she'd reach the walls of the grounds! It should be boxed in, easy enough to see! She stopped by the tree and glanced around. Right here, it should be here! It was white, even in the dark it shouldn't be hard to locate! Was it playing with her? It was only a puppy, if she sounded pleasant enough would it reappear?

"Where did you go-" but before she could finish her sentence something had her around her waist and mouth, yanking her away before she could even try to scream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Obviously this chapter has been edited. If you recall watching 4x11 and don't remember this scene being this way then clearly you didn't get the DVD. This was an extended scene included with the DVD and since A&E have said that extended and deleted scenes are canon, if they include Belle then I have them override the shorter scene we have, usually because it's close enough and rarely takes anything away. So, when this scene came out with the season 4 DVD I replaced what we saw live with this. It's all essentially there and it never takes too much to include it, in fact it seemed to fit right in perfectly to me so...yay! I love when that happens!
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	17. Adventure in the Great Wide Somewhere

She suspected that she'd traveled by magic once, when he'd brought her from her father's kingdom to his castle, but she couldn't prove that was magic. Compared to what had just happened to her, she thought she might have been wrong. One minute she was on the mountain, safely tucked away behind the great walls of his castle, hoping to help a pretty puppy she'd met and the next…the next she was here. And she didn't know where "here" was, but she knew it was nowhere near "there".

Instead of grass preparing to go dormant there was rock, fine sand, even seashells beneath her feet. Where a wide open expansive backyard had once stood there was now only a rocky cavern, so small she could easily hear her startled panicked breath echoing off the walls. And the puppy. It was gone and standing before her now was a woman. A tall, slender woman, with a sleek black dress, the style of which she'd never seen before, and a thick coat that appeared to be made of...fur! She stood in front of her now, ogling her, looking unimpressed and yet menacing all at the same time.

She felt like it was hard to breathe, hard to actually believe that what had happened had actually happened! It all had gone so fast! Where was she? Who had done this?! Why?!

Her heart was pounding away against her ribs and for a moment she nearly forgot the arms around her waist and mouth. "Well...that took longer than expected," a woman behind her commented as she let her go with a small shove. She risked a glance over her shoulder. It was another woman. A woman dressed in all black, with…horns! Her mouth went dry as she stared at the woman. She wanted to scream, to cry out for Rumpelstiltskin, to ask questions…but she couldn't get her voice to work. Or maybe she was just in shock. For the first time she'd left the castle walls and all she wanted was to go back inside of them where she knew it was safe! She'd been taken from Rumpelstiltskin's castle and no one would do that with good intentions. Especially not these women. One look at them and her skin crawled. She was outnumbered. It couldn't be worse.

"It isn't my fault that she's a little old to be following blindly after stray puppies," the slender woman commented quickly. She had fire to her. It was in her eyes and her soul. She seemed to vibrate with it, like she had too much to contain. She liked this woman even less than she did the woman with horns. "Though it doesn't say much about her that she still does it at this age."

"It's lucky for us that she does…" she woman in black sneered stepping in front of her, took her hands in her own smooth and icy ones, and as she dared to look down she saw, and felt, tight bindings close over her wrists. It hurt. She wanted to scream again, but one look into the cold eyes of the woman made her feel like she couldn't breathe. Her looks were shocking in a strange way. She was beautiful, flawless almost, a stark contrast to her partner across the cavern who appeared to barely remember to comb her hair first thing in the morning. But maybe that was what turned her stomach and made her blood chill. Something about the woman in black was too perfect, too beautiful. It didn't feel natural or right! "Though very unlucky for her…" she snarled with a smirk.

"Do you two ever stop squabbling?!" another voice drew her gaze away from the woman-in-black and to a pool at the cavern she hadn't noticed. There was another woman here! Another one! She appeared to be swimming, or maybe just floating in the little bit of water she hadn't noticed until…until she rose. Almost majestically, as if something was propelling her upward she rose out of the pool and closer to the surface…tentacles! She had tentacles. Or…she'd had tentacles. The moment one set foot on dry land the slippery limbs seemed to retract, and a moment later where eight tentacles had once been, a woman in a green dress now stood on two healthy sturdy legs. If she had been capable of speech before this moment that sight alone would have stolen it all away without a doubt!

"Please!" the woman squealed with a toothy smile, her hips rocking side to side almost fluidly, "can't you see the poor girl is already petrified enough?! I hope they weren't too rough with you, can't have you damaged prematurely, can we?" Her concern, her smile…they didn't relieve her fear, only made her want to run! But how far would she get with these ropes biting into her skin and in unfamiliar territory?

"Who…who are you?" she finally managed to choke out her voice trembling just as violently as she shook. She was still confused, so much more scared than she'd ever been in her life, she just wanted to understand! "What do you want with me? Please, I have nothing for you…just let me go!"

"Oh, in time sweet child, in time!" the woman in green cooed with patronizing sympathy. "Of course, let's not be hasty. You have something that no one else in the world has and that is what we want. Well, maybe it's not something you have, more like, something your captor, Rumpelstiltskin, has given to you. He'll free you, I've seen enough to be certain of it." Something he'd given her? Her...her dress? Her stockings? He'd given her nothing but clothes! Surely that wasn't-

"Stop coddling her," the slender woman blurt out. "We don't have forever until he figures it out by himself…do what we came here to do!" she ordered glaring at her, that fire in her eyes burning bright.

"Fine," the woman in green huffed. "If you want to have absolutely no tact, then we'll do it your way!"

"Do what?! What are you talking about?!" she blurt out, looking back to the woman in green, but the little unsettling kindness she'd seen in her had disappeared. He wasn't the only one to have a mask. This woman had it too. And right now it was gone and leaving her feeling as though she was chilled to the bone. What was her way?! What were they going to do with her?!

"Here," the woman in green spat out roughly, glancing over at the woman in black. In the palm of her hand was something she hadn't expected at all. A sand dollar?! "I enchanted it just now," she informed her, "it should work just fine for our purposes."

"Then do it," the woman in black insisted, her patience clearly waning.

"Do what?!" she cried again. "Please tell me."

"You're going to give your Rumpelstiltskin a very special message, dear…very special indeed," the tentacle woman explained.

She could feel herself quake as the woman overshadowed her. A message. A special message. What message she didn't know didn't understand? What could they possibly want her to tell Rumple that they couldn't tell him themselves?

"Listen carefully to everything that I'm going to say…focus dear and we'll make this as easy and painless as possible. Rumpelstiltskin recently returned from a short trip…to Camelot? He brought back a metal glove. Sound familiar?" Focus. She had to focus or whatever it was they wanted from her was going to be painful. She had to think, but it was difficult considering the pressure she felt from every side, she was surrounded and she didn't like it. Focus! Rumple, he'd gone to Camelot. She felt herself nod.

"Good! Good girl. You're going to ask him for that glove, to bring it to a place called Demons Bluff at midnight, or…I'm afraid we'll have no choice but to kill you! This deal is really very simple. He gives us the glove and you go free. If he doesn't..." there was a strange sound coming from the woman and when she looked down she saw one of those tentacles making its way out of her body again. The slimy limb curled around her waist and arms and she fought back a gag at the feel of it sticky against her cooled skin. Then, as if it couldn't be worse, the tentacle tightened painfully around her. "Understand?!" the woman questioned looking at her.

She felt the blood rush from her face, leaving her feel pale and dizzy as she nodded. Yes. Yes, she understood. She was going to be used as collateral. They were going to use her against him, as she'd been used against her father. Only…only this time she didn't think it would work. He liked his things. He tolerated her at the moment and they hadn't exactly parted on good terms. But they didn't know that. Could she manage to get away because they hadn't thought all the way through this plan? Could she use the idea that she was simply "help" to her advantage.

"You'll have to let me go!" she informed them when the tentacle finally unwound from her body. "I'm...I'm just a maid, I've never learned to read or write, I'll need to see him to tell him-"

"Oh! No, no! Don't worry you needn't say it!" the woman corrected quickly, stepping up and smiling at her again as if she hadn't just threatened her life. "It's already here, in that...curious little mind of yours," she muttered reaching up to touch her forehead so lightly it felt like a gentle caress. "Just think it, dear one, think of everything we told you…think of the information in your head…that glove…that master of yours…the way he seems to come running to your rescue every time you need something…what would you say to him now, bound as you are with ropes tying tighter into your skin, devils every way you glance, terrors from the fathomless ocean slipping down your spine? What would you say to get him to bring him to you? What would you say if he was standing right in front of you?"

She'd beg. She knew she would. She was already considering it as they'd told her. All she wanted was to be away from here! She didn't know if he'd come or not, if he'd really exchange one of his prized possessions for the help but it never hurt to ask. What would she say if he was standing right in front of her? She'd tell Rumpelstiltskin what she was supposed to. She'd ask him to bring that Gauntlet from Camelot to the place they wanted at the time they wanted. Demons Bluff. Midnight. She'd give herself her best chance and tell him what would happen if he didn't. She'd be killed. And that terrifying thought alone made her chin tremble and tears gather in her eyes.

"There it is, isn't it?" the woman questioned. Then she watched amazed as the woman in black stepped forward, reached up to touch her forehead and pulled from her mind something gold and wispy. It seemed to glimmer for the faintest of seconds before disappearing there in the palm of green woman's hand, into the sand dollar she was holding tightly to. "There's a good girl," she whispered. A good girl? She hadn't said anything, what had just happened?! What had she done?!

"Is that all?" the slender woman in the corner scowled.

The tentacle woman smirked as she opened her hand to reveal her prize. The golden shimmer had gone from it and it looked perfectly normal now, but she had a feeling that it was far from average. "That," the woman finally answered, "is all." All? All what? But before she could ask she reached out and handed the dollar to the slender woman. "You're turn," she said to her.

With a wicked smirk the woman took the dollar from her hand and walked over to a crow that she hadn't noticed. She watched as the woman blew a breath into the things face, but not an ordinary breath. Green smoke came from her mouth and poured into the crows face. Suddenly the thing watched her eagerly with its beady little eyes, looking almost devoted to her. "You know what to do," the woman whispered. The crow took the dollar from her hand and flew out the tunnel without further instruction, leaving her shaking as she stared down her captors, trembling and petrified. Now what? They would wait wouldn't they?

"This one better be as worth it as you claim, Ursula," the woman in black muttered to the woman in green. Ursula?

"Oh, she is…worth it and more! I've seen the way he looks at her, the Dark One has a weakness…he cares."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was edited just after 4x22...but not by much. Huh...I like it when that happens. I did my best to get the character down from just one episode and in the end only managed to change a few words and a few minor plot points. This is why I keep things ambiguous in this series. This way if I ever do get contradicted, it's more of a fill in the blank than search and rescue...ya know?!
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	18. Unspoken Admissions

Time passed. She could feel it. After that bird left she'd been shoved down onto a rock by the slender woman and told to "stay". She wanted to fight back, but they'd already threatened her life, the last thing she wanted was for them to have more reason to harm her. She tried to get her restraints to loosen, moved her hands, not to free herself, just to relieve the pain the scratchy ropes caused, but she had to stop, because if felt like every time she came close, they tightened further. So she sat still as she could, shivering in the cool cavern, waiting, wondering what had happened and where the crow had gone, somehow managing to contemplate if what the tentacle woman, Ursula, had said was right. Did he care? About her? She suspected he did on some level, but she didn't know if it was enough. Enough to want to save her? Enough to give up something so powerful as an object that could detect weaknesses? No, she wasn't sure about that. If he gave that thing over, these women would be able to identify his weakness…surely he wouldn't allow that. Surely she'd be dying tonight. At least she'd saved her village before she died...

"It's nearly time," the woman in black finally said. She wasn't sure how much time had passed. She felt like it had been hours and days, but at the same time it felt like it might have been only seconds and minutes. Midnight. Was it midnight already? Had an entire day really gone by since she'd given him that cup of tea?

"He likes control, he'll be here early-"

"Which is why I said it was 'nearly' time. I'll be out, watching the skies. Take his prize to the cave entrance and wait there as we planned. There is no need for this to fall apart now!" And with that, the woman in black seemed to burst open, explode into a fire of black. Crows. More crows. Dozens of them, that took flight and flew out of that cave. Their plan. What was happening? What did they want with that Gauntlet?

"You. Up!" the slender woman ordered. It took her a few tries to push herself up, her skirts were no help but neither were her boneless legs. Now she'd find out. Would Rumple come? Would he just let her die? Would something worse happen? "Move!" the woman snapped giving her a small shove forward. Was this her death march? "And don't blubber, I can't stand useless emotion!"

Every footfall felt heavy. Every breath labored. And standing there with that woman at the caves entrance, an order not to move or speak until the time came, it was enough to make her want to never wish for anything beyond the comfort of his castle walls again!

"Finally," the woman behind her muttered, a sneer finally showing on her face. Before she could ask what had happened she heard the voice that nearly wanted to break out into tears of relief.

"I have what you want, Dearie!" she heard his voice call from outside. "Now show yourself!" He'd come! He'd really come!

"Now, you make speak!" the slender woman muttered roughly behind her. "Out you go!" And before she knew what was happening there was at shove on her back and she stumbled out into the moonlight, doing her best not to fall over. Hands bound as they were she wouldn't be able to catch herself!

"Rumple!" she called, the name she'd never used begging for his attention, his consideration. He was here. She couldn't have been happier. If this was seeing the world, all she wanted was to go back to the castle! Now she just hoped that the sea witch's assumption was correct, that he cared enough to give over the Gauntlet that was with him. "Help!" she begged staring at him as she felt some unseen force slam into her mid-section! Magic. It kept her from going any farther than she was. She should have known it wouldn't be so simple as having him take her away in a cloud of magic the moment he saw her. And there was no doubt that he saw her. His strange delicate eyes stared transfixed at her own for a moment, shocked and horrified before working their way down her body and back up again as if checking for injuries. Maybe the woman was right. Maybe he did care. Maybe more than she thought before. Was that enough for him to part with the Gauntlet?

"Yes Rumpelstiltskin!" a mutated voice called from within the cavern as the murder of crows she'd seen the woman in black become swarmed overhead. "You help her!"

Oh, she just wanted to go home!

"Malificent!" he cried, the moment the crows took the shape of the woman in black again. "Oh! I am impressed!" he smiled, waving his hands as if he was a child excited for a birthday present. But there was nothing else childish about him. He was cool and collected…but he was mad. She could see that easily enough. He'd brought The Gauntlet, did that mean he was angry at her for getting caught, or angry at them for taking her? "Didn't think you had it in you!"

"I'm not here for your praise," the woman in black, Malificent, answered back smoothly. "Give me the Gauntlet and you can have your wench back," she explained, making a simple deal with him.

He laughed suddenly and she glanced over just in time to see murderous glee in his eyes "Well, seeing as how you asked so nicely…!" he made a quick gesture and a blur of black caught her eyes as Malificent was thrown back into the air, suspended there, eyes blank, mouth open, gasping as if he had her by the throat. Oh, she didn't want to be in the middle of his affairs ever again!

"You think you can steal from the Dark One and live? Fatal mistake dearie! Any last words?" she threatened. That was a real threat, the one that he never gave to her. He really was ready to kill this woman. She honestly couldn't come up with a reason to interfere this time!

"I'm…not…alone," Malificent whispered, somehow managing to taunt through her gasps with a breathy laugh.

Oh there was a noise coming from behind her and she began to shake because she recognized it even now! It was the sound those tentacles had made as they rose out of the water with the woman that had removed the golden shimmer from her mind. The sound they'd made the last time they'd trapped her. She had the thought that begged him to give them The Gauntlet now so they could leave before this got any worse…but terror overcame her as she remembered that he might not. In fact every second more they spent here, she was becoming more and more that he wouldn't. It was simple. Give them The Gauntlet and they could leave. The longer he stalled, it made her think that he was trying to do something besides take her away.

What would happen to her then, if they didn't get The Gauntlet? She knew. One of those green tentacles suddenly wrapped the length of her neck, forcing her head up. Oh, it wouldn't take much for them to kill her. Rumple hadn't done it, didn't seem to want to…but would he let them do it for him? She barely could contain her shudder as another tentacle reached out and squeezed her around the middle, tightening at her arms and waist...tighter than before. She swore she could feel her bones buckle under the pressure. She'd rather have the life choked out of her than be snapped in half!

"The Sea Witch!" she heard Rumple cry. But it was hard to hear much of anything with the blood rushing through her ears.

There was a laugh, from Ursula maybe? "Such a pretty thing! Seems a shame I'll have to crack her pipes!"

"Harm one hair on her head…Malificent burns!" he stated, or maybe shouted through clenched teeth. The world was too foggy for her to see clearly.

"Then Ursula will kill your maid and…and where will that leave us?" she felt every hair on her body stand up. Of all three of them that was the one that bothered her the most. She didn't want her at her back. She didn't want any of them at her back. She wanted these barriers she felt and saw gone! She wanted to be home safe and sound!

"Cruella!" she heard him pique. "Thought I caught a whiff of desperation and gin!" he danced with that thing in his hand as she stepped forward and she fought to keep her in her line of sight. "I must say I'm surprised to see you all here. Last time we crossed, it looked like things weren't going your way! And unless you hand back my maid, they won't be this time either!"

"Shall I get you a step stool so you can look in my eyes when you threaten me?!" Cruella snapped, that wild fire she thought she'd seen in her coming to life. No, she didn't like that one. Cruella. And she didn't like feeling like she couldn't breathe!

"I don't need to threaten you, Dearie," he muttered darkly. "It took three of you to get this far and I promise it isn't far enough!"

"Have it your way!" Cruella commented, "Ursula, darling, crush the maids heart!"

No!

But she felt it. Another coil wrapped around her chest, supporting her so she couldn't sink to her knees as the slimy thickness around her neck tightened. And tightened. And tightened. And…

She felt herself shake as she fought to call out a name to beg one last time but couldn't get the air to do it. She was trying to hold her breath to conserve the little air she had but her strength was waning, her vision going black. Was it just her or did she not weigh nearly as much as she did. Was the mountain they were on spinning round and round, over and over…

No. It was settling. Easing. She fought for breath, thinking she should take what she could while she could before she realized it was over. She was back on her feet, her knees buckled and she gulped in air as she realized that suddenly the woman called Maleficent was on the ground. And the Gauntlet…it wasn't in his hands anymore. She'd missed it, but she knew what had happened and what it all meant. He'd spared her. Given up that Gauntlet so she could live! She was alive! But she felt like it was only barely. Should she feel cold and heavy, tired even at a time like this? Like she didn't have the energy to stand?!

"That was a risky endeavor for an old glove, dearies!" she looked up so see him snap, his eyes on her, angry as he was he was evaluating her again.

"Well the risk was worth it…for too long we've lived in a world where the heroes always win!" Ursula complained.

"And The Gauntlet will reveal our enemies weaknesses and we will be the victors," Cruella explained.

She didn't know what they were talking about, she still could barely put two and two together as the world came into focus and glorious air filled her lungs.

"Let her go!" Malificent commanded. She felt the invisible blockade at her waist vanish and a hand on her back and suddenly she was falling struggling to catch her breath and get her feet under her all before she met the cliff…but there were hands on her, around her back, at her waist, gently setting her back on her feet and keeping her from tipping over. Rumpelstiltskin, looking her over again as tight hands at her shoulders held her steady, as he waited to make sure she was okay. He never said he needed that confirmation but…it was in his eyes. She could feel it. "Wh…why would you do that?" she questioned still breathless, moving to make herself steady, to fight off the sudden urge she had to sleep. "I…I mean with that object you…"

"They won't be able to harm you," he snapped back unreasonably. She could barely make sense of it, of his desperation, of his words. Of why she'd stopped shaking now despite the fact she couldn't be sure those women were gone! Those women…the explanation they'd given…the only one making it through her spinning, tired mind.  _He cares._ But why? Despite what she felt, she was only the help to him…wasn't she?

"Why do you care about me?" she managed to ask, feeling herself sway as she looked at him. He looked her over for a moment. Confused but also looking guilty. Maybe there was a reason for that. Maybe she could figure it out if her mind actually started to work!

"I don't!" he snapped suddenly before giving her a gentle shove away forcing her to catch herself on her feet. The world was spinning again. "But if anyone's going to crush your heart…it's gonna be me!" he claimed quickly, making some excuse or other that he'd already made time and time again. And from the strange way he was looking at her, shuffling away from her, he knew it too. Hadn't they already had this fight? Her mind was sluggish right now, but she felt like she knew that much!

"But you won't," she felt herself breathe, felt her throat begin to feel like it was getting bigger and bigger, coated in something like molasses. "You won't…" she made to take a step, close the distance between them, and support herself on something, but her legs weren't working properly either, she missed a step or the ground was too close and she found herself pitching forward again, hands moved quickly around her waist to pull her up and she could have sworn she heard a voice say "if you don't kill yourself first" before her vision was swallowed up in a cloud of black!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh...the only one to crush her heart will be him...the irony. He'll crush it alright, many times, just not the way that he thinks. Sometimes I like getting to add a little on the top or the bottom of certain chapters that we already know so well. This one for example, the little conversation at the end that we didn't get to see just felt like the perfect way to end this chapter. I hope that you'll agree.
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	19. The Riddle's Answer

"Sit, sit, sit!" he commanded forcefully as he deposited her on her chaise suddenly back in their room.

They were home. He'd brought her back. And she was really unaware exactly how they'd arrived but it was a good thing they had, because she really didn't think that she could stand anymore. She hurt. Everywhere. Inside and outside. Her throat felt swollen, tight. Her lungs felt clear but she found herself coughing all the same, maybe because of the smoke that he'd used to bring them back here. Her arms hurt, too. From shoulder to elbow, her ribs felt cracked where she'd been squeezed, her hips hurt. Those were all casualties of Ursula's tentacles, but her wrists hurt for an entirely different reason. The ropes were still tied tight around her. Outside she felt dirty, slimy, her skin felt too big and on the inside it felt tingly, numb with cold. Shock she assumed. She had to fight it. She was here, the fire was bright and warm, she was safe. She just wanted these restraints off her wrists.

"Please…please-"

"Save your voice!" he snapped, looking back at her from the spot he'd paced to. There was fire flaring in his gaze but then there wasn't. It changed, turning to something else as she raised her arms for him, a silent plea to rid her of the burden, the memory of it all. It was sympathy. She must truly look pitiful there, sitting in a lump barely able to walk and talk or even untie herself after what she'd just gone through. But something about it seemed to melt him, extinguish the fiery look, and slump his shoulders with a sigh as he made his way back to her.

"Don't speak," he ordered. It was sharp, a true order, but still far gentler than the tone he'd had when they arrived. "You'll only do more damage." She nodded as he reached for her hands. Like magic the cords loosened slowly, then finally their weight floated away. Freedom. Sweet freedom. Now if only she could get the rest of her body to feel nearly as good as her wrists…weren't. It took only a second to see. The tentacles had been on her body only minutes ago but she'd been fiddling with those ropes since they'd gone on her that afternoon and it showed. Dots of black and blue and were already blossoming over the red, irritated skin. And they hurt. Moving her hands and arms, her wrists hurt more than anything else! Except maybe her throat. Delicate as that part of the human body was she knew she'd feel that pain for days to come. That witch had nearly killed her.

Suddenly Rumpelstiltskin gave a growl from where he was perched in front of her. An irritated sigh almost as he looked upset with her. "Well for heaven's sake, dearie I'd hate for you to break your habit of silent suffering and actually follow orders now!" he nearly yelled at her, reaching out for her wrists. She opened her mouth to argue, to ask what he was talking about, but he'd already roughly taken her hands into his own, giving a firm yank to pull her forward. Before she could yell, or cry, or complain again his hand began to glow purple and with only a wave over her hands, her wrists the bruises, old and new, faded into her pale skin again. The pain was gone. In fact it left her numbed fingers feeling warm, her palms maybe even a little sweaty. Not that he would notice, not from the way he dropped her hands like they were poisonous the moment he was through. Now if only she could get the rest of her body to-

"What else?!" Rumple demanded, sounding put out by what he'd just done, irritated. But it was a façade. It had to be. If he hadn't wanted to do it…then why would he have? He cared. "Well, don't be shy now, Dearie, you'll be black and blue by morning and I'll be disappointed in having misjudged you-"

"I don't understand-"

"Don't talk, just point!" he yelled. Anger. She was certain this time around. There was frustration in that comment and that one alone. Frustration at her? Because she'd broken his order not to speak? No. He'd expected her to do that. It was because he'd told her she'd do more damage and done it anyway. Because she was hurting herself. "What. Hurts?" he demanded again at her stunned silence, still obviously frustrated with her.

She felt like too much had happened in the last few days. Camelot. The Gauntlet. The women. Death. Everything that had happened on that cliff. She felt like her brain couldn't take it in especially deprived as she'd been of oxygen. And she had to struggle to take in the little command he was giving her. Maybe because after everything had been so complicated, it seemed almost too simple. What hurt? Point. Don't speak. Her arms. Her arms hurt. So she made a gesture, covering the space that those slimy suction cups had held her, only to find her own hands batted away. And replaced by his own purple glowing hands. Her arms hadn't begun to bruise yet, but now she knew they wouldn't. Just like her wrists pain fled at his touch and the warmth in her hands quickly crept up her arms all the way to her shoulder.

"What else?" he inquired again, a little more gently but she could still hear the anger in his voice. Where else. Point, don't speak. Her hips hurt. But she wasn't about to point that out to him. She didn't want his hands hovering that close to her. Her sides, her ribs. Another place that hurt but she didn't think that she wanted him to touch her there either only-

She winced as she moved, a sharp pain just at her side. Yes, something was definitely nearly broken, if not broken entirely. There was another frustrated sigh from Rumpelstiltskin as he fumbled with the clasp of her cloak moved it aside like she was a child and moved his hands over her anyway. Her sides, her belly, even down to her hips, leaving that same warm tingle she'd felt earlier. "I'll never understand why women have absolutely no trouble with nagging men on every little thing, but insist they are fine when they clearly aren't!"

She opened her mouth to argue, to snap back at what he'd just said…but then remembered there was one more thing wrong with her. One more thing that she'd miss far more than anything else after all this was over. She wanted her voice back, if only to debate his current accusation. So she let out a defeated sigh as he finished with her torso and unhappily placed her hand across her throat, a silent plea.

He glanced up, looked her over, as if debating with himself, but finally seemed to give up himself. "As much as it pains me to give you your voice back so you can continue to evaluate every aspect of my life, if you'd screamed in the first place we might not be having this conversation to begin with." He placed his hand at her neck, along her throat and she felt that warm sensation spread through her. The swelling she'd felt earlier vanished. She felt as though she might actually be better now than before she left actually. "Drink this," he ordered, pressing that chipped cup into her hands full of what felt like steaming tea. "It'll help," he said moving away from her. She didn't know where he'd gotten it, probably it was just magic, but she didn't care. If it would help then she'd take it.

"There wasn't time to scream," she commented, returning to what he'd said about her voice, about what had happened. She still wasn't sure why those women had done all this. "The woman in black, Malificent, she had a hand over my mouth before I could, I never saw her coming. First Robin Hood now…"

"Yes, yes, clearly my protections need updating," he snarled making a quick motion for her to drink. "And it's comments like that making me consider taking your voice away again. I could use a few days of peace and quiet!" She hadn't exactly meant that. But she supposed that maybe it did sound a bit judgmental, after everything that had happened…she owed him more than that.

"I'm sorry, it's just, a lot to take in."

"Not my problem!" he growled, then moved to leave the room.

"Where…where are you going?!" she called after him.

"Why to reinforce the protection spells of course!" The moment was over. The kindness he'd just shown, the way he'd healed her, gotten her tea, helped her back here…he'd moved on. He was back to who he'd been before she'd been taken. "No doubt I'll be off again soon and this time I'll be sure the boundaries are protected from evil intentions so that  _this_ doesn't happen again! After all, I'm a busy man…I don't have time to spare running after you and making sure you don't wind up in trouble again and risking one of  _my_ precious souvenirs! So careful next time you decide to go wandering about, dearie. I might just leave you to the wolves…" Another meaningless threat. He wouldn't do that, leave her to the wolves, he'd just proved it. But just because he hadn't done that didn't mean that he hadn't made a choice.

"Thank you!" she called after him, before he could leave the room.

"What?!" he yelled, spinning around and looking her over, confused as if he'd never heard those words before in his life.

"Thank you," she repeated. "For…not leaving me to the wolves. For saving my life…thank you." There was silence between them again. Not the awkward kind they'd had when they'd come back from Robin Hood, just the kind that they'd encountered before all this useless teasing had begun. He opened his mouth and for a second she thought that she might actually get a "you're welcome" out of him, but then he closed his mouth quickly, shook his head, and walked out the room.

There had barely been a kind word between them the last few days, but she felt as though this said more than all the teasing they'd done put together. That riddle, the one that she had been trying to solve since they'd returned from Sherwood Forest, the one that had been creeping up on her from the moment she heard him say that she had "promise". She was right. It was simple. Not complicated. The answer to the riddle that had been going through her head, the answer to him. He cared. Really cared about her. That was why he let Robin Hood go. That was why he gave her things. That was why he watched her. That was why he'd saved her! She wasn't just help. He did care for her, even in some small way. Maybe he really just didn't know how to show how he cared. In the end it came out as teasing, distance, and finally in the small conversations they were able to have with each other when those two things failed. It only looked like tolerance. Tolerance. Caring. He didn't know how to show it…but she just might.

They needed more than tolerance, they needed to learn how to live with each other and this strange care they had. They had to learn how to communicate without irritating each other! And for that, as much as it killed her, it meant patience and distance. She could do that. She'd been insistent since he'd given her the dress, since he'd started teasing her, but she could give him some of the peace that he desired in being perhaps a bit more withdrawn herself. She was a match for him, more than the help, he cared about her...and now she knew it! Now he needed to know it too. He wanted to play games, "Cat and Mouse" he'd called it. She could do that. And if he wanted to be "the cat" then by all means...that worked in her favor. After all, the mouse never went off in search of the cat. Simply waited for the Cat to come to it before it made its move.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that I could have stopped the 4x11 addition with the last chapter but I just loved the idea of this chapter finishing it out so much that I couldn't not include it. I loved their interaction here, his kindness and consideration and it's one of the first times we get to see how protective he is of her, how angry he gets when she puts herself in harms way. Plus, I totally loved being able to put the touches in there. We get so little as Rumbellers I could not resist giving us something more to live on. Nor could I resist giving the shout out to the beast saving Belle from the wolves in the movie. This seemed to me to really take after that scene. Maybe it was on purpose maybe it wasn't, but I liked being able to bring that idea into Moments and this story!
> 
> Heart_of_a_oncer you are awesome for leaving me such wonderful comments! I hope that you've enjoyed these additions from 4x11 and that this is a good way to finish it out! Thanks for your wonderful undying support it means so much to me! Peace and Happy Reading!


	20. Hiding Thoughts and Seeking Company

The castle was peacefully quiet but deathly still. Winter had finally arrived in full force and the world seemed to have changed around them. He no longer went out as often as he had, instead he chose to sequester himself in the castle, specifically his tower while she went about doing her chores. No one had been by to see him in weeks and in the silent time she wondered if he had chosen to have a castle up in the mountains with the hope that people wouldn't bother him. But magic like his was hard to refuse, and she'd quickly learned that when he was in the castle they came constantly for him, with problems big and small, some that needed magic and others that really didn't but wanted an easy solution to some problem or other. However, it had been a couple of weeks since their last visit. She figured that it was the temperature, the bitter wind, and the near constant snow. The winter weather in the mountains made his services pale in comparison to a warm bed and hot fire. Of course this meant that the castle was cold constantly, but still she was enjoying the peace.

She still wasn't done with the cleaning she'd begun, but some days, when the snow had fallen fresh over night and she was in the middle of a good book, spending the day doing chores seemed like a crime. And so she sat in one of the warmest nooks that she knew of, which just so happened to be by a statue of a gargoyle, her legs tucked under her, with her book in her lap. She liked this space because there was a window against the far side that provided the perfect amount of light and allowed her to see when it began snowing again, just in case she had to go take clothes off the line.

Clothes. Not just his, hers as well. She never said anything about it, for fear he'd stop, but she was now certain that he'd been the one responsible for her attire. Over the last few weeks she couldn't seem to stop finding more and more left around the castle just for her. They appeared in closets, changing over the weeks as the weather did. The material got thicker, the sleeves longer, the high heeled shoes turned into boots, and she'd even found more stockings and a couple of shawls to go with the cloak that now hung in her dungeon cell, of course it took her nearly an hour to get the clasp on it to work, but at least it was something. She had a decent sized wardrobe again. It wasn't grand like her attire in her fathers palace, but she liked it, it was perfect for her, perfect for this job. Perfect for sitting around the castle like this. She sighed. She loved finding those dresses, but for now she was content to ignore her chores, happy with the comfort this stony hideaway provided her, and looking forward to dinner...

She had to shake her head and put her nose back in her book once more. Thoughts like that seemed to be entering her mind more and more these days. She'd caught this one with barely an after thought. But she was getting used to batting them away like they were nothing, she was getting used to containing them. It wasn't that she didn't like them, it was the fact that deep down they confused. She'd given him space since he'd brought her back from the trouble she'd gotten into. And she'd realized something remarkable. She enjoyed her time alone, her time reading, her time not doing chores! So why did she find herself counting down the hours to a dinner spent in the chair by the fire? Why would the idea of tea put a small excited skip in her step everyday?

And why would the distant sound of footsteps on the stairs down the hallway make her smirk?

He'd found her. Again. It hadn't taken him long to stop by the statue she was sitting by and pause giving a small "oh!" of surprise as he caught sight of her and stepped back. "I, uh, I wondered where you'd scurried off to," he said a little more confidently and with a silly hand gesture she supposed was meant to remind her of a mouse. Cat and mouse. She could play that game quite well, though sometimes she wanted to question who exactly was the cat in their little game. When she'd tried to reach out to him, to be more than "the help" he'd pushed her away. When she gave him some space and distance, suddenly it was him that had begun to seek her out. "Dusting the books again, I see," his voice was low, but not in the serious kind of way. In fact it had only gone higher and taken on an accent at the end of his sentence. A sign that he'd caught himself getting too comfortable around her and quickly corrected it.

She smiled at the comment, he liked to joke that reading the books was her favorite method of dusting them. She had to laugh at it, not because it was a funny joke, but because he was right. "It's, uh, it's my favorite," she admitted holding it close.

"Oh?" he questioned, his voice turning low and serious again. He was genuinely curious, he was always curious, but she liked when he seemed to take an interest in her. Her scheming had worked. And it made her...she dismissed the thought. She'd caught it this time before she'd even thought about it. Yes, she was getting better at containing them.

"Yes, the, uh..." she answered timidly, still recovering from her minds latest attempted outburst, and glossing over it by clearing her throat, "the girl has my name." But he didn't seem satisfied with the answer. He seemed to stare at her knowing there was more to it, more to her, than just liking a story because of a shared name. "And it has all the elements that truly make a story great, you know," she continued. "Far off places, daring sword fights, magic spells, even a prince in disguise," she finished with a happy smile. She'd loved this book even back in her father's castle, when her mother had given it to her in the hopes it would help her accept Gaston and the future they'd have together. The girl's name was all she had in common with this story now. But, strangely, she was okay with that. She liked... No. It was yet another stray thought easily chased away. Was it just her, or was it worse when he was around?

"It seems to have found a good home then," he commented with interest.

They stared at each other for a while, but not in the awkward silence they once had shared, just comfortable stillness. She watched him watching her and suddenly remembered that he had come to find her, what would the excuse be this time? "Did you, uh..." he kept his distance like he was afraid to get to close to her, but the way he watched her it was like he couldn't bear to take his eyes off of her either. It was the strangest feeling, thinking that he couldn't make up his mind. He was certain about everything...except for her it seemed. "Did you, did you, need something?" she finally asked.

"Ah," he sighed and she could see his fingers twitch awkwardly. "The table!" he said loudly, like the idea had just come to him, she knew that it probably had, "in the dining room. It seemed a bit dusty to me," he added in the joking voice, that told her he was trying to be firm and criticize her, but just couldn't bring himself to be cruel...not anymore. The weather wasn't the only thing that had changed in the last few weeks, they had too. Their days of true teasing, of being downright furious with him, were long gone. She just wished that she wasn't the only one to see it and he'd stop pretending.

Nevertheless, she nodded and marked her page before standing up, he adjusted his distance so that she didn't get any closer to him than she had when she'd been perched beside the statue, then turned his back and silently led them down the halls and stairs that would take them into the great room. It was only after he'd turned his back that she allowed herself to smile. It wasn't an accident that he'd found her and she knew for a fact that there was no dusting to be done in that room because she had done it just that morning. He had been looking for her. He'd taken to doing that the past few weeks since he'd had no visitors. Maybe he thought it was Cat and Mouse, but it had become her own personal game of hide and seek. She would find a new place to read when she was done with chores and see how long it took for him to come and find her again. If she was honest with herself it was part of the reason that she chose not to read in her library on days like these.

He always came to find her, he always made some strange request that he hadn't really thought about, and it hadn't escaped her notice that the request always placed her in the same room as he was. She didn't think that it was her that he was really seeking out, only her company. He would never say the words, but she had come to the conclusion that no matter what had caused him to be cursed as he was, he was just like any other person shut away from other people. He was lonely. They were the only two people in these mountains. It was a big castle, it was only natural that they would want to be in the same room. Wasn't it?

As soon as they entered the great room, she wasn't surprised that he made his way over to his spinning wheel. Careful inspection of the table revealed it was still clean. She couldn't help but glance over at him spinning straw into gold and feel a sudden pang of sorrow. A hole in his heart. Predictably, he just wanted proof that he wasn't the only living thing here, that he wasn't alone.

She took a deep breath and tried to shake the feeling she had in her head. She wasn't sure if he knew why he did this everyday. Frankly, she wasn't even sure he knew he was doing it! But something deep down in her didn't want him to know. If he ever did figure it out, he would stop, or he would convince himself that she needed a babysitter after she'd been kidnapped and he did it to make sure she hadn't gone missing again. In the end he would decide he didn't need her company and leave her to her own devices while he sulked somewhere in private, and for some reason she just couldn't stand the thought of letting him do that.

And so she kept up appearances. If he wanted her to dust, then she'd dust. Cat and Mouse, hide and seek, she had to let him come to her. So, her tools collected, she dusted the already clean table, then made sure the collection was in order, and dusted it again as well. He acted as if he wasn't aware of her, as if it meant nothing to him, but she felt like he looked slightly more relaxed with her moving about him, his shoulders were slumped in a way that suggested comfort, his face was at ease instead of concentrated, even his breathing seemed more even somehow.

Her busy work completed, she knew she only had a few minutes to spare before it would be time to collect dinner. She could spend the time reading or she could move the schedule up a bit, she doubted he wouldn't notice, and even if he did, she doubted he would care. Dinner wasn't going to be difficult, not tonight. The cold weather had demanded something warm and she'd had stew over the hearth simmering all day. All she really had to do was scoop it into bowls. "I'm, uh," she muttered, looking around the room that they shared and seeing nothing else to do. "I'll go grab dinner," she decided. Whether or not he heard her, she wasn't sure. He didn't respond but it was so quiet between them that it seemed impossible for him not to have heard her.

She made her way down into the kitchen, sometimes she didn't realize how much she missed the squeak of his wheel until it was gone and the castle around her was still and silent again. Suddenly, as easy as it was going to be to fetch dinner, it didn't seem like she could do it quick enough. Clean and friendly as her space was, it was cold even with the fire lit in the hearth. Quickly as she could she filled two bowls with the stew she'd made and set them on a tray with a couple of spoons and tea then expertly balanced it on her arm and went upstairs. She felt like she could feel the warmth and peace grow the closer and closer she came to that room and when she finally pushed open the door, she smiled to see him already sitting at the table, staring off into the fire with his head perched upon a hand, deep in thought.

It was times like this, when she knew that there was more to him than appeared. She couldn't tell where his mind was, but she knew it wasn't with her in that room. His eyes were gentle and sad in a way. When she started this job she knew that she had to get to know his expressions, the trickster that he was, she'd learned that his words were unreliable for telling her what he was thinking and feeling, what he really wanted. But it was his actions, the tone of his voice and most importantly his expressions that told her the most about him. She knew his expressions, she knew that he was reflecting on something solemn, something that bothered him, but she had no idea what that something was.

They never talked about themselves. They'd grown accustomed to each other, it wasn't as awkward as it had been when they'd returned to the castle what seemed like an eternity ago, but ever since the three women had taken her away they hadn't really spoken about themselves, always books, or chores, or books, or necessity, or books! It bothered her, just as it had before, but with a little bit of patience she was hopeful he'd allow it again soon, he'd open a door for her so she could learn the reason behind that look, behind that gaze.

She adjusted the tray in her hands and the china tinkled, the sound broke his concentration and he glanced up at her. The look in his eyes shifted again. This time his look was inviting, warm, maybe even welcoming. If she didn't know any better, she'd say that he was grateful she'd returned quickly, for the distraction she provided. She didn't know what he'd been thinking of, but if her company helped to ease his mind then she found herself happy that she could provide some comfort.

She took a deep breath and made her way toward him, offering a friendly smile, "I, uh, I made stew," she said placing his bowl before him. "Should ward against the cold." He nodded an approval, but leaned away from her again, like he was afraid her arm might accidentally brush his shoulder if she got too close. She picked up her own bowl and sat down in the chair he kept by the fire, the one she spent more time in than he did. The bowl was hot in her hands and she set it in her lap to buffer it against the layers of the long sleeved green dress she was wearing. She listened to the clinking of china as he ate in silence, waiting for her bowl to cool enough to hold it.

She couldn't guess what it was like to be him. What must it have been like before she was here? Not just with the cleaning, but what would it have been like to spend these few quiet weeks alone without any other human soul around? And what was worse? All that time he'd spent by himself without anybody around, or knowing that the only reason anyone ever came to the castle wasn't to see him, but to get their hands on the magic he possessed? Was that the reason he wanted her here? Was it because he was lonely and needed company? Was it because he wanted someone else to share this space, even if he'd pretended he didn't like it?

Suddenly she clenched her jaw together as the heat from the bowl finally soaked through her dress and began to slowly burn her legs. She quickly picked it up, only to find her bare hands flinching at the contact. It did smell delicious and she certainly could use the warmth against the snowstorm moving across the mountains, but it was just too hot to hold. Behind her, she heard his silverware against the smooth service of the bowl, having no problem, and glanced to the other end of the empty table.

It was silly. They were the only two people around for miles, they shared the same space all the time now and it wasn't as if she was asking him to talk to her about all his secrets! Why should sharing a table be such an unspoken terrifying act? With determination, and care for her hands, she picked up her bowl and spoon and strode over to the other side of the table. She tried to act as oblivious as he did when she brought it into the room. But she could glimpse out of the corner of her eye, his surprise while he watched her, spoon suspended in mid-air half way to his mouth, as she dragged the heavy chair from the fire over to the opposite end, her end, and set it down with a loud thud. With a small smirk she sat back down, realizing that this was the first time since she'd left her father's castle that she was eating with a proper chair and table.

He didn't do anything and he didn't say anything. He just watched her, stunned for a few moments as she slurped a few mouthfuls of stew and pretended like she wasn't staring back at him from under her eyelashes. Finally, after a few more mouthfuls the moment passed. The brief tension in his shoulders disappeared, the spoon traveled back into the bowl, and they continued their silent meal. They never said a word, never looked at each other, merely glanced from their bowls to the fireplace and back again. When they were through he simply got up and resumed his place at the spinning wheel, she predictably picked up their dishes and returned them to her small kitchen to soak. Then just as always she returned, intending to get a few more hours of reading in before they would go their separate ways for bed again.

She smiled when she got back at the wonderful sight before her. He'd been busy while she was gone. The chair at the end had been placed back by the hearth, her book was set upon the cushion and a blanket she'd never seen before was folded across the back, welcoming her to it. Others might think that he'd done it to be rude, to send a message not to eat at the table again, but she knew better, she knew him. He'd done it out of kindness while she wasn't looking. The book and the blanket waiting for her held a silent admission that the spot was hers and he expected her to use it, maybe even wanted her to. Cat and Mouse indeed. She wasn't going to get anywhere with him by being coarse or persistent. Baby steps. That was what he needed. She took one and he'd take two closer to her. Did he know what was happening? What he was doing? Did he realize how much closer she felt they were growing just in silence alone?!

Hiding her latest ponderings, she smirked, and ignored his subtle curious gaze, as she walked across the room. She wrapped the blanket around herself, sat in the chair happily with her book in her lap, and was content to listen to the crackle of the fireplace and the creak of his spinning wheel fill the silent space between them as the wind howled outside.

Maybe she wasn't alone in her thoughts. And maybe he wasn't alone in his loneliness. Cold and bitter as it was, she had to admit, it was nice to have the company.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter...I suppose it's another filler chapter in a way but I think it shows a good step. It's another one of those chapters that I think shows Rumple's steps toward her. We don't know how long Belle was in the castle, it's unconfirmed, but I believe that it was probably less than a year. Because of the snow and the foliage we saw on the mountains I choose to believe she got there in fall and probably left in the spring which means they spent a bitter winter together alone in the mountains and it seemed like the perfect time for his heart to thaw a little, to become accustomed to her and move on from that "I like you but I can't let you see it" phase to "I like you and it's fine so long as you have your space and I have mine" phase. I think she scares him a little because he knows that she doesn't see him as a monster or fear him. I think he knows that not just anyone would drag a chair over to eat with him and sit in the silence perfectly comfortable and while I think a lot of his shocked reaction is not knowing what to say or do about it I think in the end he says nothing about it because by the time the shock wears off he thinks "well...what's the harm".
> 
> Thanks to Heart_of_a_oncer for your awesome comments on the last chapter. I'm glad you are liking it so far and finding everything to be in character and that the added scenes fit well together. Awesome. Mission accomplished. I really do hope that ya'll will like this chapter just as much! Peace and Happy Reading!


	21. A Memorable Story

It might have been the coldest day they'd seen so far. She'd woken early in the morning shivering, even with every blanket she'd ever found piled on top of her the cell was simply too cold to sleep in. Quickly, and proud that she could even do it in the pitch black, she found the warmest dress she owned, the pink one with long sleeves, gathered a thick blanket and made her way up into the great room that they used.

The room was eerily quiet without the wheel making its usual noises, but the fire lit for her right away just as it always did. At the moment she didn't care if it was enchanted for her or not, she just wanted to be warm. So she wrapped herself up in her blanket and hunkered down in her chair. This early in the morning she couldn't help but close her eyes and melt into it's heat...its comfort...and warmth...and...

Something was touching her shoulder and she jerked at the motion looking quickly around her. It was him, by her side. But he hadn't been there when she...she'd fallen asleep, she must have. The room was brighter than it had been before. Morning, she'd fallen asleep cuddled up in her chair, and as she looked around her taking in the scene she found that the blanket she'd been wrapped in had fallen off of her shoulders. Had he been trying to replace it? Was that why one side was against the shoulder that she'd felt him touch? Was that why he had jumped back when she awoken and now looked as though he'd been burned?

He looked surprised, and if he could she imagined that he might turn red if she voiced her suspicions. Him?! Caught being kind and caring! She knew he had it in him, but he'd only deny it. Even if they were getting friendlier each day, that was just too much even for him. Probably she was wrong. Probably he'd never touched her. More likely, it was simply the sound of him coming in or the creak of a floor board, or the colder temperature against her shoulder that had woken her and her sudden movement had just startled him.

"Last I checked," he muttered with a smile that was meant to make him seem rude but he just couldn't pull off, "I don't pay you to sleep."

She offered a sweeter smile in return, making his false one fade away quickly. "Last time I checked you don't pay me at all," she yawned, stretching and squirming to loosen the cocoon she'd tangled around herself and free her arms. "I was tired," she explained folding the blankets, "and cold. This is the warmest place in the castle."

"Ah, well," he looked her up and down for a moment, finger tips touching, tapping, together almost nervously. "It can never be a good thing when you are up before me," he finished, then turned and took his usual seat at the wheel, as if what had happened hadn't…that is if anything thing had happened. She couldn't prove it had, and it wasn't like him to have let something like that happen. Either she'd just uncovered a new personality trait or she was imagining things. Probably it was the latter.

Against her better judgment she began her morning tasks as if nothing had changed, starting with breakfast. Her tiny kitchen wasn't bad, the fire lit in there kept it warm enough to cook but it still didn't offer the same amount of warmth that their room did, especially when the wind blew down the chimney and against the door. Their room was easily the best place to be during days like this, and given the fact that he'd spent most of the day in there yesterday as well, she suspected he might have agreed with her. There simply was no other reason that she could come up with that one man would need that much gold!

When she returned she found everything as it normally was, or at least normal for the last week or so. He was at his end of the table, waiting patiently, and the chair that she used, the one she slept and read in, had been moved to the opposite end for her own use. She expertly hid her smile, as she did everyday she saw it there. He moved it for her, there was no other explanation for it. But so long as he refused to acknowledge that, so long as they both refused to point out his kind gestures, she saw no reason to possibly give him reason to stop.

They always ate their meal in content silence. From the moment she placed his plate before him and carried her own to her end to the moment he pushed back and she collected the empty plates the only sound that filled the room was the crackle and pops coming from the fireplace indicating glorious heat. They never really even acknowledged the other was there. There were no glances, they never looked at each other or spoke. Just sat waiting for the other in the silence. It felt nice, to simply sit by the fire and stare into it for a few moments of peace. It was predictable, but for some reason she liked it.

But today was different, instead of dismissing himself like usual he simply made his way back to the spinning wheel. She didn't let it hinder her, his change in schedule didn't affect her. She had a long busy day of chores ahead and the last thing she needed was to be distracted by him. So, without delay she quickly retrieved their dishes, left the room...and shivered. When there wasn't a fire lit the castle was colder than ice. Not even her thickest dress was enough to ward it off. She dropped the plates off in her kitchen, leaving them to soak, retrieved her book and shawl from where she'd left them in her cell, and climbed the stairs, realizing with each one that her steps were a little quicker than they had been.

And when she got to the great room, saw her chair by the fire with a blanket folded over the top of it, when she heard the howl of the wind rattle the hidden windows, suddenly her spot by the fire looked incredibly comfortable...too tempting to turn down. What was one day off? She'd done it before and it would certainly be warmer here than anywhere else in the castle.

He watched her take her seat by the fire, curling up in her blanket again but said nothing to her. Sharing this space was normal for the pair of them, what wasn't normal was the day off they both seemed to be taking. He didn't leave the room through the morning, just spun on and on. She usually had a book but she'd finished it hours ago and left her with nothing to do but stare into the warm blaze beside her. Sure she could leave, go up to her library and exchange the book, but that meant leaving the fire, and she just wasn't that desperate. She was content. Perfectly content to stay warm and listen to him spin. Frankly, the idea of leaving the room to collect their tea made her shiver before she even had to leave the room.

"It's not like you to sit around doing nothing all day," his voice rose suddenly, low and serious. She glanced over but he wasn't looking at her, just spinning. For a moment she wasn't even sure he'd said something, thought that it might simply have been her imagination. But then she saw the small expectant glance he gave her before turning back to the wheel. "Usually you at least busy yourself with a book," he added finally.

She couldn't help but smirk. All those times that they sat in the same room and she assumed he was pretending not to notice her, he really had been noticing. She wouldn't point it out, it didn't seem polite. Besides, it hadn't exactly worked in her favor last time she pointed out something like that to him. Chances were that if she stated outright that he'd been watching her, he would stop right away, and this was what she'd been waiting for ever since that day he got back from Camelot! An opporunity for him to open himself up for a conversation. It wasn't much but it was better than nothing, and it wasn't as though she was going to get any other kind up here in the dead of winter. Baby steps. She never did know where a simple remark like that might lead!

"You don't usually spend your day at the wheel," she countered. But instead of joking with her, something he usually would have done when she pointed something like that out to him, he nodded a confirmation.

"There are always a few cold days like this in these mountains, too cold for even me to work in the towers. Usually I leave."

"Why didn't you this time?" she asked gently.

She waited a beat, but he didn't answer, and she felt herself blush at the sudden realization. He hadn't left because he wasn't alone. She was here, and for some reason, the thought that he'd chosen to stay trapped in the cold castle with her instead of escape and leave her behind to fend for herself made her belly twist into knots and a smile stretch across her face. He cared. Maybe he had tried to cover her with the blanket this morning.

"Do you..." she hesitated, wondering just how far that courtesy extended, wondering if maybe she was seeing more of it than there really was. She'd never know if she didn't at least try. "Do you want tea today?" she asked curiously. "The lower levels are much colder than here," she explained quickly when he gave her a strange and confused glance. "If you're fine without, I'd much rather stay in here where it's warm."

"The kitchen not warm enough either, dearie?" he asked as he stood up and moved away from the wheel. She honestly wasn't sure how to answer. Was he joking with her? Was he chastising her for not doing her work? Had she taken a step too far? Had she forced him to take a step away from her persuing their conversation.

She opened her mouth to apologize, to say that it was alright and she'd go downstairs and retrieve a snack for them, when he waved his hand and purple smoke appeared at the corner of the table. When it cleared, the tea tray sat before them. Teapot, sugar, chipped cup and all. More kindness, it was unexpected.

"Thank you," she muttered, getting up out of her chair and moving around him to happily help herself to the warm drink, all the while hoping he wouldn't notice the blush she could feel creeping up her neck. She wasn't going to drink it just yet, frankly it was nice just holding the cup in her hands.

"Your book isn't what you thought?" She spun around, careful not to spill her drink, and found him holding the hardcover she'd left in her chair. With the exception of the cold, and the fact that he'd gotten the tea, it was a perfectly normal tea time. He liked to know what she was reading, he liked to talk about what she thought about the books, and whether or not she enjoyed the tale. Cat and mouse. She'd taken a step away and he'd taken one closer to her. "You've barely touched it today," he went on, interpreting her silence as confusion.

"Oh!" she responded quickly, "no, I finished it."

"And you haven't replaced it yet?"

"Well," she blushed again. He had been watching her, enough to know her routines, "I do have my eye set on one about a beanstalk and an ogre, but the weather-"

"Ah! How unusual!" he interrupted. "A day too cold for you to journey into a foreign tale. I never thought I'd see the day." She tried not to laugh, tried not to smile even, but she knew that tone. The not so serious one he used when he was joking, when he was using humor to stand between the two of them and diffuse nervous energy that he seemed to collect in the empty space.

Empty space. Steps taken. Was now the time? Could she try again with him? Could she try to talk about something she'd wanted to discuss with him nearly since she'd arrived.

"So tell me a story," she suggested gently. "You must have few."

He shook his head, stared into the fire, "No more than most I'm afraid." He was lying. It wasn't the tone that told her, it was simply common sense. A glance around the room would tell anyone that.

"So what about these?" she questioned, looking at the objects surrounding them. "There are at least a dozen stories in here. What do all these mean? Where did they all come from?"

"Here!" he shouted making a grand gesture. "There! Everywhere!" He still wasn't being serious, but she was alright with that. It was better than the teases and insults that she'd gotten last time she'd asked about these things. A strange hammer. Those terrible looking dolls. A valiant sword. A lamp she'd only ever seen in the pictures of her books.

She picked it up, and turned expecting to see him staring off into the fire drinking tea as he so often did. But he was watching her again, his eyes continuing to survey her, eternally curious. "Tell me about this one," she requested, wondering what he would think of her sudden question, wondering what he'd do!

"Careful," he insisted, suddenly serious again, setting down his tea and coming to her side. "Shake it around too much and some wandering Genie will move in, and then you've got wishes." He carefully reached down and removed the metal from her hands. She couldn't help but swallow nervously at it, the first time that they'd touched since that day he'd healed her. She probably wouldn't have noticed if it weren't for the fact that it felt…normal. Right. But her mind felt hazy again, just as it had the weeks after they'd returned from Sherwood Forest and she was unsure what to do with their close proximity. Talk. They should simply continue to talk. Maybe then it wouldn't seem so abnormal to her.

"And we don't want wishes?" she asked as he set it back upon it's podium.

"We don't. Want. Wishes," he hissed sharply. She wasn't positive what had sparked that kind of a response, but it was enough to tell her the story wouldn't be pleasant. On a cold day like this, if they were going to share the same space they needed something more than strained words.

She glanced around her and spotted the gold blanket that hung draped over its perch. "What about this one?" she asked, drawing his attention from the lamp, conscious of the way he followed close behind her. "I've never heard of a golden sheep," she informed him, nodding toward the strange gold object. She'd always thought he made it, because of the gold. Maybe that would make it easier to discuss? He chuckled at her comment. That surprised her. It wasn't chastising or cruel or one of the strange giggles when he found something unknown funny. It was a genuine laugh. It sounded different, more normal, far more pure than what she'd ever heard.

"It's called the golden fleece," he explained stepping up next to her once more. "It's very ancient," he muttered in a far off voice, "it's supposed to be the skin of a gold flying sheep that rescued children." She glanced over to see if he was jesting with her, but the look on his face was one of complete and total seriousness, maybe even admiration. That certainly had not been what she'd expected!

"But that's..." she shook her head searching for the word that she needed to describe her thoughts. "That's crazy! A golden sheep?" she exclaimed, finding the image of a golden sheep flying through the crystal blue sky with a couple of children on its back humorous. Who had started a rumor like that? And how had someone managed to convince him that they had the genuine skin?

"It was reported to be spectacular," he countered, his seriousness disappearing once more behind a smile that suggested maybe he suddenly saw it just as funny as she did.

She smiled as she glanced at it again. "I don't buy a word of it." No, she still preferred to think that he'd created the strange blanket, but that didn't mean she was any more inclined to use it for warmth as she was to use those dolls for entertainment. "And..." she added moving on to pedestal after pedestal, "I think it's called the golden fleece because someone cheated you out of whatever you paid."

Maybe it was the crackle of the fire, or the wind blowing outside, she couldn't see to prove it, but it sounded as though he'd laughed again. No, not laughed. Chuckled. Low and serious, restrained, as if he was trying to keep her from hearing. Was that what a genuine laugh from him sounded like, or was it really just the fire? She walked back to take her seat by the fire once more, sensing that she'd gotten the story she'd been looking for, when her eye caught on something different. It wasn't on a pedestal or an alter, but she'd never seen him handle it before either. Everything in this room was here for a reason, so what was the point of this long piece of wood he kept shoved against the corner of the fireplace.

"What about this?" she asked picking it up. It was light, nearly as tall as her, easy enough to hold. It wasn't spectacular, it was knotted, mangled, and it had small grooves along it that seemed intentional, as if done with a knife or some other sharp object. "Where did you get this?"

There was no sound, nothing to suggest that he was paying attention or had followed her over. Yet when she turned she found him lurking there, just over her shoulder, quiet as ever. His presence was a surprise to her but she didn't jump, didn't even spook, because he simply wasn't menacing to her anymore. And the look he was wearing now, was the farthest thing from menacing. In fact, she thought he almost looked sad, mournful in a way. What was this? What story could possibly be behind it?

"There must be something interesting," she prompted, watching him carefully for his reaction. But he only glanced over at her, suspicious, and shielded. He looked as though she'd just reached right up for that mask he wore and tore it from his face. Had she? She honestly hadn't meant to, although now that he was looking at her like that she was immensely curious.

"'Tis the cane of an old coward," he said finally reaching forward and taking the wood from her, "nothing more."

But there was! There was something more, she could see it plain as day etched out on his face! He wasn't saying it but she knew it by the look in his eye. She had nothing to prove it, she'd never sensed anything like this from him before, but she knew it, it came from somewhere deep inside of her. The reason it was set aside from the other items in the collection wasn't because it wasn't as important, it was because it was. Who was the old coward?

"Why did he give it to you?" she asked, watching as he held it in his hand.

Nothing. He simply continued to look at the cane as if she hadn't spoken. Something was playing over in his mind, something important, something…emotional? Yes, she was right, the cane was important, but it wasn't the cane itself. It was a reminder, it represented a memory of some kind. That was what was important to him. It wasn't the cane. It was the old coward. Who had he been that he garnered a look like that from the man that called himself the Dark One? A mentor? No, too, emotional for something like that. She would have suspected a friend, but he tended to keep to himself. Frankly, outside of this conversation they'd arguably never talked as friends would! Could it be a father? Someone who had been like a father to him? Was that possible? Where had the Dark One come from? Could he have had a father? A family?

The hole in his heart...what caused it...had she just stumbled upon it?!

"What did he get in return?" she prodded gently. He jumped. Well, he didn't jump, not by normal human standards, but she could see the small startle that rippled through him as she'd spoken. It was as if he'd completely forgotten she was in the room, completely forgotten he was in the room! Was that why he hadn't answered her questions? Had he simply not heard her? "I, uh..." she swallowed and decided to try once more, what was the worst that could happen? "I asked what the man who gave that to you got in return."

He snapped, or something did. His suspicious look returned as he looked her over, his grip on the cane tightened, and she could see him pulling away from her, replacing the mask that she'd inadvertently ripped off. "Misery," he snarled under his breath. He turned quickly away from her and made long meaningful strides back over to the spinning wheel, taking the old cane with him.

"That should give you all the stories you desire," he said taking a seat and making a motion toward her own abandoned nest by the fire, "and keep you plenty entertained for the rest of the day." She was going to question him, ask what he was talking about when she looked over to the armchair and found something laying on the seat that hadn't been there before. A book. Green cover. Golden words etched into its spine. A story. About a beanstalk and an ogre. The one she told him that she'd had her eye on. He'd listened! He'd remembered what she'd said! She could barely remember saying it, but he had. She hadn't expected it, but it was nice to know that, even if he pretended he didn't pay attention to her, he did know she was around. He did listen to her stories, even in some strange way her desires as he'd conjured the tea set. It was…comforting.

She cast a glance over to the man who once again had gone back to pretending as though she wasn't there and didn't see her and her eyes fell on the cane he'd taken away and placed in the corner behind him. Out of sight out of mind. Still, they'd taken a step together today with their talk. Now, if only she could get him to see the comfort in having someone to talk to. Maybe then, someday, he really would tell her a story, beginning, middle, and end, worth remembering. Maybe he'd even tell her about the cane.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah! Forgive me for I could not resist! When the script for Skin Deep was released earlier I saw this scene in particular and knew that I had to make something out of it! For those of you that haven't seen the script the deleted scene starts with Belle asking about his things, when she picks up the lamp and ends with them talking about the fleece, the stuff before and after is just my own personal set up for it. I've always wanted her to find the cane and when Baelfire show it to Mulan still in his castle...I could not resist using this scene to my own advantage!
> 
> Thank you Oncer4Life69Dearie for your comments on the last chapter! I'm super happy that you liked it! Peace and Happy Reading!


	22. Not a Monster

Spring was in the air. She could see the snow had melted in the valley village below them weeks ago and it finally seemed to be passing them by as well. She woke this morning to find the snow nearly melted, the sun shining, and a single solitary bird that had braved the cooler mountain air singing happily in a nearby tree. She was happy the snow was gone, but she had to admit, in a way she was sad to see the winter go.

She missed their days alone in the castle together, all their talks, the silence, and the company. The more time she spent alone with him the more she came to one undeniable conclusion: he wasn't the monster she'd once believed him to be. For whatever reason, he liked to appear worse than he actually was, but the more time she spent with him, the more she'd come to realize that "beast", as her father had described him, was a far cry from what he actually was. Misunderstood. Kind. Caring. He just hadn't had anyone around before her to experience it. And it was in the winter months, their time together that this strange space began to feel different...happier, warmer.

She learned that he didn't really care if she cleaned or not. It was her company that he cared for more than having an actual caretaker, and whether they talked or not, she knew he liked having her around. He'd never actually say the words, but she knew he liked her. Small steps, she learned, he needed her to take small steps with him. Changing things in the castle too fast had been her downfall before, the source of their troubles, but when it happened slowly, he was able to adjust to the changes, to her.

They existed now in quiet happiness. Their days were busy again. She cleaned. His visitors had returned, casting him back into his tower, back to work, and out of the castle again on short trips. But when he was home their evenings remained theirs. Calm. Quiet. Peaceful. Predictable. Tonight, as usual, when he was finished with his meal he quietly pushed back from his plate and went to sit at his spinning wheel. She cleared away their dishes, took them down to the kitchen, and set them in a trough to soak for a couple of hours. Then, before going back upstairs she went out to the line, where she was waiting for some clothes to dry. Now that the seasons were changing she'd begun to find dresses around the castle again. Lighter, softer, with shorter sleeves, and skirts that didn't drag the ground. She had found a lovely yellow dress in one of the upstairs rooms today and she couldn't wait to add it to her wardrobe. It would be perfect for when summer arrived.

She stood in the sun and took a deep breath as she rubbed her arms. It was warm enough that she didn't need to have a cloak when she came out any more but still cold enough that the wind numbed her skin. She should have brought her shawl, frankly, she shouldn't have gotten ahead of herself and worn short sleeves so soon, but other than the temperature, the weather today was perfect. A couple of the plants, she noticed, even had a few small buds. She almost couldn't wait until she could sit outside under one of the trees and read, maybe she would tend to one of the gardens in the back, just to see if he would say anything.

But before she could get ahead of herself, another gust picked up, making her shiver and reminding her that while it may be spring in the valley below, it wasn't here entirely. It was on the way, there was little doubt about that, but with the sun setting it was time to go back inside, and read by the fire. She quickly inspected the rest of the laundry, and finding it still damp, left it flapping in the wind as she went back into the castle and wrapped a shawl around her cold shoulders. Her eyes adjusted to the dark glum interior and she made her way back upstairs for the evening.

He still sat against the wall, at his spinning wheel. An unknowing eye would think he was oblivious of her presence in the castle, but he knew. There were only two chairs in this room. His and hers. He'd never admit that it belonged to her, but it did. In fact the chaise that she'd previously had down here had suddenly appeared upstairs in her library, she assumed because he'd noticed that she preferred to sit in that chair! So he'd taken to moving it between the fire and the table for her since she'd started on joining him at the table for meals and on cold nights he provided her with a blanket, but on nights like today when the weather was fair, the fire and shawl were all she really needed. As always the book she was reading was perched upon its cushion, inviting her to make herself comfortable and read.

But tonight was different. She found she couldn't focus enough to read. The smell of the breeze still clung to her dress and the light of the sun from outside made the castle feel duller than usual. She glanced around, wondering if he'd noticed her disinterest as he always seemed to be able to, but then her eyes fell on something else entirely.

The windows. They were closed, just as they had been since they arrived back from chasing Robin Hood. Normally she didn't notice them, it was one of the first things that he'd complained about her doing, and when they'd gotten back and he'd closed them again she had kept them shut, enjoying the sun elsewhere in the castle. But suddenly she felt a wash of familiar need sweep over her. She'd felt it often since they'd returned months ago from hunting Robin Hood. It was the need to make the castle her home. She'd succeeded in every room but this one and now that she felt it she knew exactly what she wanted: the sun.

She glanced at Rumpelstiltskin, still sitting at the spinning wheel. How would he react? Would he yell at her for opening them again after he'd insisted she close them? No, he wouldn't. At least she didn't think he would. He seemed incapable of being angry with her lately. But would he continue to remain even-tempered and compliant with her if she did something so defiant? She swallowed. There was really only one way to find out. Without a second thought, without giving herself time to over think it, she rose suddenly and left. From one of the rooms she used for storage, she pulled out a long ladder that she had used only once before to open the curtains but not since then, and boldly carried it into the room and over to the long window farthest from where he was working. She noticed him glance up at her as she set it up against the wall, and could have sworn that was a quizzical look on his face but he quickly looked away and went back to his own work.

She glanced up the ladder. It suddenly looked a lot higher than it had before she had fetched it. She sighed. She forgot how she'd felt that last time, but now she reminded herself that if she was here, she was willing to give this another try, she had already transcended a level of bravery she didn't think she had. Climbing up a ladder was a smaller act of bravery, she'd done it once before, surely she could do it again. So she placed her hand on one of the rungs, and when she was certain it was sturdy she began her climb. Suddenly the comforting squeak of Rumpelstiltskin's wheel stood out to her in a very disconcerting way, and she found herself fearing that it might be a loose nail and she would fall to the ground before getting to the top. Was it possible for ladders to weaken over time when they weren't used?

She tried not to think about it and focused only on her task. Once she was as high as she was going to get she reached out and tugged on the curtain. It didn't move. Not even an inch. Last time these had given way easily with only one sharp tug! What was wrong? She tugged again, a bit harder, but still it wouldn't budge. And what was worse, at her movement the ladder gave the slightest of shudders and she was suddenly aware of how far out she was leaning and how far up she was. Her heart started to beat and she moved over to grip the sides of the ladder and steady herself, the only noise coming through the sound of her own heartbeat was the sound of that ridiculous wheel. She glanced over at him, seemingly unaffected by what was happening in his home despite his previous objections. She glanced out at the curtain, but her heart started to race again, so she glanced back at him and tried to calm herself down.

"Why do you spin so much?" He paused at her words, and the moment she said them she felt anxious for a completely different reason. She hadn't actually meant to ask him the question but the squeaking had been making her nervous and she just wanted to world to stop while she collected herself. Frankly she hadn't wanted to draw attention to what she was doing, but she was unable to help it. The words seemed to have just popped out of her mouth. "Sorry," she muttered when he didn't answer. A personal question like that, out of the blue, for no reason at all only served to make him uncomfortable, and right now, with what she was doing, she wanted him to be as at ease as possible. "It's just that you've spun straw into more gold than you could ever spend," she pointed out, trying to explain away her outburst.

"I like to watch the wheel," he commented solemnly, "helps me to forget." Her heart stopped. His voice low and serious, it was the tone he used when he was being honest with her.

Surprise quickly replaced her fear as she stared down at the man before her. If anything she'd thought he would chastise her for trying to open the curtains. She hadn't expected he'd answer her question! Much less expected he'd answer it with honesty! He never answered her personal questions in the past, or anyone else's for that matter! She'd never actually seen him do business, but she'd heard him. Others had asked questions of his life, but he never revealed anything. She'd done it herself with little success! She'd heard him change the subject, joke, and even make veiled threats, but he'd never actually answered with honesty!

She was getting that feeling again, the one that she'd had on and off since they'd been trapped together for the winter. It was a feeling that itched at her skull because she couldn't quite identify what it was. It made her belly warm and her heart flutter. It was the feeling that made her want to climb down and place her hand upon his shoulder and give him the little comfort she could. He was human in this moment. Afraid of his past, trying to outrun something he would never be able to, he was no different than any other person with a mysterious past. He seemed smaller to her somehow, meeker. She couldn't see his face but she could see the muscles in his back and shoulders tense. He looked scared, as though he was just as surprised as she was that he had answered her question.

The sensible part of her brain told her she should get back to work, leave him alone, and finish taking the curtains down. But she suddenly felt as though she was drowning in curiosity. Curiosity had failed her once and given her success once, what was the harm in trying one more time? "Forget what?" she asked timidly.

He paused again, and was perfectly silent for a moment. "I guess it worked!" he answered, then he let out a giggle and she couldn't help but laugh at the joke he'd made. What had she expected? It was the avoidance tactic she knew so well, and with it, the fleeting moment had passed. She shook her head and looked back at the curtain to her right, wondering if he'd noticed what she was doing. Now she really did need to get back to work, or else he'd-

"What are you doing?" the voice startled her. She had hoped he'd go back to his business and she'd go back to hers, but he'd noticed. Now what? She could make up an excuse about wanting to clean the windows...or she could be confident. She could tell him what she was doing and she if she was right, if she could get away with this small step. He was going to figure it out sooner or later, it may as well be now.

"Opening these!" she said, answering like it was obvious. "It's almost spring. We should let some light in." She held her breath as she played with the curtains, waiting for what would happen. But he didn't respond to her, so she didn't push the answer. She wanted to see the light. She wanted to see the mountains and the valley below. She wanted to see spring when it came and she wanted to see it from this room! She reached out and gave the curtain two more tugs, hard tugs, and still they wouldn't budge. What had happened to these? It was as if he'd...no. He wouldn't! Would he?

She sighed and glanced down at him. "What did you do, nail them down?" She made it sound like a joke but at the last tug she wasn't certain it was. Why else weren't they pulling back as they had last time?

But instead of a laugh he only nodded. "Yes," he confirmed.

She shook her head and let out a small breath. He'd nailed them down after he'd shut them months ago! She shouldn't have been surprised, but it seemed extreme even for him! Clearly he hadn't wanted her to ever open them again. At least not then. But he was watching her now, he wasn't objecting, wasn't telling her to get down, or complaining. Now was different than then, things between them were different, and nailed down or not, if he wasn't going to stop her then she wasn't going to give up. She wanted to watch the sunset, and read in the light, and see these curtains open! She tugged and heard the ripping of fabric. The nails were loosening. That was it, she was getting there. One more good pull...she tugged again and felt the entire cloth give way as she lost her balance and footing.

She didn't have time to scream, only time enough to register the lurch in her stomach, to think about how much it would hurt when her head hit the floor, and the blackness of unconsciousness that she would be left in. But when she finally collided with something it wasn't as painful as she'd prepared for. And when she opened her eyes, it wasn't darkness that met them. It was his face; confused, dazed...and doused in the glow of the setting sun. As the delayed adrenaline began to race through her body and her heart began hammering against her chest, she realized she wasn't injured and she hadn't hit the floor. He had caught her. He had kept her safe. Suddenly he became aware of it himself, glancing from the light pouring in the window and then at her, nestled against him quite...comfortably.

She'd touched him before, but he had never been the one to touch her. Graze her? Yes. Heal her? Of course. Bump against one another? Certainly. But this...and yet here she was, perched in his arms as they looked each other over. To have him touching her, even in an act of instinct felt...fine. Maybe better then fine. She felt like she should do something, like she should say something as they stared. But what? "Thank you" she breathed, finally saying the only two words she could think of which just so happened to be appropriate.

Her words seemed to break his concentrated stare and he dropped her quickly, setting her feet back on the ground as if he just realized what had happened, what he'd been doing. "Thank you," she said again trying to sound like she hadn't just almost died, like she would have if he hadn't caught her...hadn't saved her. Again! She could feel her legs shaking as she steadied herself, it was from the fall...wasn't it?

"No matter" he held his hands up, once again putting the safe amount of distance between them.

She glanced at the fallen curtain and the window, then the ladder, her mind telling her she was never going up there again. But she couldn't seem to get her brain and body to act together again, and what came out was: "I'll, uh, put the curtains back up." She made it sound like she was laughing, so she wouldn't be embarrassed about her fall. It was a sad resignation, but with all the trouble the curtains had caused them, maybe they were better off nailed shut.

"Ah," he suddenly paused, and glanced down at the floor with a sigh that sounded almost relieved, or maybe fearful of what she'd do next. "There's no need," he said, "I'll get used to it." And with that he turned and went back to his work.

She couldn't help but smirk as she glanced back up at the ladder she shook her head. He'd get used to it? He'd get used to it! If she didn't know any better, she'd say he didn't want her on the ladder again. Maybe he didn't want her to risk injury either! Before tears could pool in her eyes at the adjustment he was making, at the small step he was allowing she took the infernal thing down and back to her small storage room, trying not to think about their brief encounter. But when she returned her eyes widened at a marvelous sight, and this time she couldn't help but let a tear slide down her cheek. The curtains were pulled back. All of them. The evening sunset was streaming in, and against the wall, now drenched in light sat her companion, nothing but the squeak of the spinning wheel in the dead space between them.

He'd get used to it...and then some. The feeling she'd had a moment ago returned. She wanted...to hug him! To run over, wrap her arms around him, to thank him a million times over, if that was what it took to get him to see how grateful she was. But it was silly! She couldn't do that, he wouldn't like it. He'd only be more uncomfortable with what had just happened, and the last thing she wanted was him to regret taking the curtains down. Besides, they'd never needed words before, why would they need them now? She blinked away the tears forming in the corners of her eyes, and instead, acting as if nothing had happened, she resumed her place at the chair by the fire. But this time, she turned it slightly so that she could keep her book lit by the sun, and have him in her sight, even if it was only an occasional glance up under her eyelashes.

He wasn't a monster. It was in the things he did, like catching her before she hit the ground and answering her questions honestly. And it was in the things he didn't do. The way he didn't complain when she changed his home, or wasn't bothered when she undid what he had purposefully done. No, he most definitely wasn't a monster. But exactly what he was, she hadn't figured that out yet either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh...good memories...would you believe me if I told you this was the first chapter I ever wrote for Moments? A test chapter if you will? Probably. Sometimes when I read it I still feel like the grammar is a little sketchy, not to mention the fact that it's been edited so many times in order to accommodate so many new additions it's hard to find what is original and what's not. Sorry about that. Some day I really need to go through MK&U and just clean it up, get rid of all the repetitiveness and make it a single story again. But for now I suppose it's not hurting too bad and hopefully it can wait until I'm less busy working on the rest of Moments...hopefully.
> 
> Thank you to Heart_of_a_Oncer for your kind comments, not to mention your faithful reviews! I'm glad that you liked the last chapter, edition and all! Hopefully this one will be just as good even with all the clutter! Peace and Happy Reading!


	23. New Discoveries

"I've always been rather fond of that one myself."

She glanced up from her place at the hearth to find him hovering just over her shoulder, looking down at the new book in her lap. He must have read enough to know which one it was. Despite the fact that the castle seemed busy again, she still enjoyed their conversations by the fire, the ones they exchanged about books and even the rare times he told her a story of one of his visitors. They were never personal, and she hadn't dared to ask him anything like that since she'd fallen from the ladder only days ago. Why bother? He wouldn't tell her. He avoided personal conversations as if they were a plague, making some excuse or other before backing out of the room, politely enough but still leaving her without answers.

But they lost track of time talking about books! He liked to read, and he liked to read more than just those spell books he kept confined to his tower. All the books that she had in her library were well worn. For some reason she'd always thought that they must have just come to him that way. It was only after they'd begun these conversations that she'd allowed herself to think that maybe, just maybe, he'd been the reader all along! There were so many, and so far she hadn't read a single one of them that he hadn't read through as well. It was certainly the reason that they could stand around at tea time having conversation after conversation, only to look up what felt like a few minutes later and find that hours had passed and she needed to go make them dinner.

They didn't always agree on quality. She'd rather enjoyed a book that she'd read about a far off maiden that created a mask for herself and protected her village from an evil sorcerer. He'd scoffed. "It takes more than a mask to hide an identity, not to mention a gender." Secretly she thought that he had a point but still refused to move from her opinion on the tale. It was heroic. Besides, on other books, this one for example, they seemed to see eye to eye.

"Yes, I'm enjoying it as well," she agreed with a smile as he moved to pour another cup of tea. "I've never heard of the author though," she commented, closing it and checking the name once more, "C.S. Lewis. I was hoping to read more from him, unless this is the only thing he's ever written."

"It's the only thing in my library," he informed her, almost sadly. Was he sad because that was all he had, or because it was disappointing news to her. She fought to shake her head at the thought. That was ridiculous. He was sad because he liked to believe he had everything and didn't like the fact that he didn't. Certainly that was it! "Although I find it hard to believe that a writer like that would only write one book." So there was hope for more then!

"I don't suppose you could look for me?" she asked gingerly, but it was only after the words were out of her mouth that she realized why they tasted so strange. It was the first time she'd ever actually asked him for something. Or something for herself at least. Was that okay? Would he do it? Even if it was something as simple as a book? Asking and receiving was much different than the dresses she found hidden around the castles for her. Would he-

"I'll look," he answered quickly in his deep serious timber. It startled her. Not his answer, though that was striking as well, but it was her reaction to it that shocked her the most. She successfully fought the urge to smile too much, but couldn't help the blush that she felt creeping up her chest and into her cheeks. She wasn't quite sure what caused it, or the sudden roll her stomach seemed to have done. Maybe it was just a surprise. She hadn't expected to ask for something and she hadn't expected him to give it, or at least promise to give it. Another kind deed he did when he wasn't paying attention. That tended to happen during their conversations.

"But I should warn you," he muttered suddenly, "even if more exist, the chances of coming across one are slim."

She furrowed her brow, happy the feeling passed quickly and their conversation continued. "Why?"

"Not all the books in that library are from our realm," he informed her. "That one, for example I got in a trade. It's rare, coming from a Land Without Magic."

"Another realm?" He'd said it so quickly and confidently that she wasn't entirely sure she'd heard him correctly. "Another world? A land _without_ magic." The very possibility of a world where magic didn't exist seemed…impossible. And the idea that other worlds existed beyond theirs had always seemed improbable.

"My, my, my Dearie, you didn't think this was the only one did you?"

"I've heard stories but I never assumed it was true!" So why did she so easily find herself believing it wholeheartedly with only a word, the slightest mention of it really, from him?! Because he was an expert. She knew it. That had to be the reason. Wasn't it?

"The stories you've heard are true," he confirmed with a smile before gazing back into the fireplace, becoming somewhere far off again, "worlds of all shapes and sizes, histories, and realities. Ones you've read about, and ones you could never dream up for a thousand years. Worlds too numerous for even I to count. But getting to those worlds is a task all on its own, especially the ones where magic doesn't thrive. Thus why relics, like the one you're holding are so rare." Other worlds. Like the ones she read about in her books, like the one she was reading about now?! With or without magic it seemed fantastical in its own unique way, and yet, not that much different from their own. This book came from a world without magic, so was it set in that world or in a completely different place?

"You suppose it's real?" she questioned, growing suddenly curious and breaking him away from whatever world his mind had traveled to. She'd always wanted to see the rest of the world beyond her father's small country, but she'd never imagined there could be more than one world to see! Or that a world she read about in a book like this could be real, the characters might actually exist. "Do you suppose there is a world like this? With a Devil, Wormwood, an Uncle named Screwtape?" she made it sound like a silly question so she wouldn't be embarrassed if he told her it wasn't. But much to her surprise his face remained serious as ever.

"I'm sure it's always possible," he muttered staring into the fire, distant again. Her eyes turned back on the book she held in her hands. All this time she'd been reading a book that wasn't supposed to exist in their world, worn and torn as it was it was thrilling to think that she'd read something no one else in the world, theirs at least, would ever get the opportunity to read with the exception of him. A book so rare it was…

Simply sitting on a shelf, forgotten in her library? She glanced around the room, at the objects he kept displayed proudly on pedestals. Rare objects. One of a kind objects. So how did this rare item end up as just another book in her library?

"Why did you want it?" she asked quietly, the words flying once more from her mouth before she could catch them.

"What?" he asked, his head snapping up in surprise at her question.

"Why would you want it? The book I mean. If it came from A Land Without Magic then it must not hold any magic or power? Why would you want it?"

"It's rare."

"If its rarity meant something to you it would have a place and be better taken care of than this. Why exchange anything for a simple book weathering away in the library with no magical value?"

"Because it came from that realm," he snapped, his eyes registering the mistake the moment he'd made it. It was just like that day she'd fallen from the ladder. The mask had slipped, he'd answered a question he'd never meant to discuss with anyone, least of all her! So why had he? And why did she get the feeling that there was something much deeper to him hiding behind that mask than even she realized. He shook his head at her as she stared quietly, unsure how to prompt him, how to keep him talking enough to satisfy her curiosity. In the end she didn't need to. He went on all on his own, guilty almost. Was he upset with her? Or himself?

"I thought it might be helpful, informative, but it's a simple yet brilliant work of fiction and nothing more," he attempted to dismiss. She couldn't let him. She didn't want to let him.

"Helpful?" she questioned. "Informative? What…" but before she could ask what it would have helped him with, or why he was seeking information about the Land Without Magic, she heard a predictable pounding at the door. Her head fell irritated against the back of her chair. Would the world ever leave him alone and learn to solve their own problems for even just a day?!

Irritated as she was at the intrusion, he looked relieved having been spared more questions and answers as he moved away from the table to answer the door a little too eagerly. "Back to work," he muttered strutting away from her in a way that made her think he couldn't wait to get out of the room, couldn't wait to have an excuse not to continue the conversation. "Enjoy your book," he tossed over his shoulder before returning to "work" as he'd mentioned. She stared at the weathered novel in her hands. There was always dinner. They could continue their conversation then. It would be new territory without a doubt. Though they spoke at tea and shared the table at dinner, neither actually talked to the other during meals, not unless he was telling her he needed to go somewhere and would be absent. They could try talking over dinner. It wouldn't do any harm…unless it failed.

She thought back to the cane that used to reside against the hearth, the one that had gone missing the same day that she'd asked about it. The empty corner was a horrible reminder of what could happen if she dug into his past too deep. He'd pull away, they wouldn't talk for a week or so, and he'd spend that extra time haunting his tower instead of giving himself a break. No. They couldn't talk at dinner, not tonight, not about this book or the land it came from. But there was still hope. It wasn't that she couldn't ever bring it up again, she just couldn't do it too soon. She'd have to wait, patiently, for the answer she needed. In the meantime, he was right. There was work to be done.

Without a second thought she stood, turned away from her fire and took the tea and tray down into her kitchen, then cleaned, emptied, stacked, and cared for each piece in their little set, finally she checked the laundry drying on the line, before walking back upstairs to gather her cleaning supplies. As much as she shuddered to think how her father would react to see her, here, in his castle, as his caretaker, she'd been delightfully surprised to find that it wasn't just something that she was good at, but something she enjoyed. As much as she loved the days gone by when she would have simply sat in her father's castle day after day doing nothing but reading, there was something to be said for keeping busy even in the simplest of ways. She still enjoyed a day with a good book on occasion, but for now she found herself growing more and more restless, intolerant of idleness, and proud of the rough callouses on her hands.

She started at the top of the grand building and dusted the rooms she'd already proudly cleaned, after all, the last thing she wanted was for them to become unlivable again, even if no one ever did come to stay. It was simpler, now that they were being kept constantly clean. Each one required no more than a few minutes of dusting and wiping, before she could move on to the next, then the floor below. Gone were the days when she needed one day to do two rooms. She was running out of rooms to really clean as a matter of fact! She had plenty of time now in the morning to do laundry, explore her library, and care for the kitchen and great room they shared all before tea. Then after, she dusted, as she was now, and moved on to cleaning one room each day.

There were only a handful of them left in the hallway that contained his room. She left that one alone. She'd tried cleaning it all at once, all it had gotten her was an obviously uncomfortable Rumpelstiltskin every time he came to her to ask where she'd placed something. Instead she only went in to collect laundry now, and cleaned and sorted little by little. And, she'd been delighted to see that the more changes she made, he began to make them as well, as if he was clearing his precious clutter away before she could get her hands on it and move it to some foreign corner of the room.

Still the rest of the rooms on this hallway had remained relatively untouched. In the beginning when she'd started, she hadn't wanted to see him any more than she had too and she'd worried that she'd run into him here. But she didn't feel that way anymore, and she knew that he wouldn't intrude on her cleaning. He never did.

Today, she went into the room closest to his own expecting to set to work…only to find it wasn't entirely necessary. It took her breath away, the room was filthy, she couldn't deny that, it needed a good dusting, but it didn't look nearly as abandoned as the others. The furniture was all righted, the bedding perfectly smooth, the curtains were even open already, pouring light into the room, which she only just now noticed seemed to be larger than any of the others she'd seen. Her first instinct was to turn and leave it alone. She couldn't quite put her finger on the feeling, or the reason it was there, but she felt as though she shouldn't go into the room. It was the same feeling she had when she and Gaston had gone out to the battlefield that so many of her kingdoms brave men, including her friend Samuel, had fallen in the earliest ogre battle. Just walking on it felt like a terrible desecration.

She bounced on the balls of her feet, unsure. It was just a room, there were many in this castle, it shouldn't be surprising to find one in decent shape. But none of the others had been. None of the others had felt this way. Go in? Don't go in? She swayed between the choice for what felt like an eternity before making her choice. It was just a room. Just an ordinary room. The feeling that came from it could have come from being so close to his room or being in the hallway that had always given her this uneasy feeling in the past. Maybe he'd begun tidying some of the rooms in this hallway as he had his own? Maybe he intended for her to go inside. Maybe there was something waiting for her like so many of the others had. A dress? A blanket? Something more that she could use?

Bravely, she carried her tools into the room and sat them on the bed, checking the bedding. It was stiff with age, and dusty, but instead of stripping it she left it alone. She wasn't quite sure why, it was just an instinct she had, but she didn't want to disturb more in this perplexing place than she had to. She checked the closet, hoping to find a dress there, that would easily have put her mind to rest, but it was empty. Not even a coat or jacket or spare pair of boots remained, as she'd seen in the other rooms. Strange. It only made her feel like the room had been set aside for something, a purpose. Suddenly she couldn't wait to get out. She took her materials and dusted, possibly faster than she'd ever dusted before, eager to finish her job and move on. She wiped the mirror clean, beat the curtains with her hand, pulled open the draws, and…

Clothes!

No, not for her, not a chance. The things he gave to her always came in one at a time, hidden away in a closet. This was…surprising! Different! It was a well-stocked, fully functioning, wardrobe. Pants, shirts, jackets, vests, scarves, blankets, drawer after drawer simply stuffed with clothing. Children's clothing! Yes, when she pulled the shirts out, she found that they were far too small for any adult she'd ever met. Children's clothing. He was hiding children's clothing? No, not hiding. Hiding involved stashing, shoving. These were all properly folded, tenderly placed, and stacked one right on top of the other. Properly ordered.

She glanced at the door, suddenly nervous once more that he'd find her in here, before returning to her investigation. Children's clothing? Where they his? The hole in his heart! She once suspected that the cane he kept around was a fathers, or a mentors, could he have been a child once? Or was it more? He had to have come from somewhere, certainly he didn't just pop up in the world as an immortal being?! Could he have been something more than immortal once? Could he have been human? Could he have had a father? Could he have had a wife, a family…a son?! Her mind turned over at the thought, thinking it through over and over, but she kept coming up blank, the thought of a wife and son, maybe multiple sons, overwhelming.

A family?! A book from a Land Without Magic?! How much more to this man was there? What else could he be hiding?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! I always wanted to write the chapter where Belle discovered Bae's clothing, but I thought that we already had too many "Belle cleans things and makes a discovery" chapters that it would only be repetative. After 3x12 though, when Belle spoke of other worlds like she knew them really well I began to see a conversation that I could exploit, a way that Rumple could tell her about just how many there were so that she alone wasn't surprised when flying monkey's suddenly appeared and would think "oh, okay, so we're dealing with another realm" and the fact that it was in the book...I figured that would help so that she would also realized "well I read about Ox, why can't that realm exist". In the end it became one of my favorite conversations between the pair of them in the castle! I hope that ya'll like it just as much too!
> 
> Thank you to Heart_of_a_oncer for your comments on the last chapter. It's another favorite moment, an iconic moment for sure, there was no way that I couldn't include it in the story. Hell, if I found a way to include Rumple's reference to her as a maid in 2x20 you could be damn sure I was going to make sure that scene got in here! Peace and Happy Reading!


	24. A Temporary Castle Guest

He'd been in a foul mood for days. She just couldn't understand it. Weeks ago he'd been normal…or at least as normal as Rumpelstiltskin got! His mood swings were always difficult to keep up with of course but this…this just didn't feel like a mood swing. There was a Darkness over him, but not in the way that there usually was, the result, she was certain, of the Dark Magic that inhabited him. No, this was something different. If she didn't know any better, he was grieving or depressed. But she honestly couldn't figure out what had led him to be in this state after weeks of…well…normalcy. People were visiting of course, but no more than they usually did. Even when he dealt with them in his childish voice with annoying giggles, he just wasn't the same. Something was wrong, and he was trying desperately to hide it from everyone he saw, and that included her. Which of course meant that he retreated to his tower more often, hiding from her so he wouldn't have to lie or put on his mask. Of course, that wasn't exactly a solution; she'd become far too bold for her own good on that matter.

"Are you alright?" she dared to ask one evening when she delivered tea to his tower and he'd seemed distracted.

"Fine, fine," he'd answered, dismissing her observations with a hand wave.

She couldn't dismiss it that easily. "It's just that lately you've been…different."

"I am no different today than I was a hundred years ago or will be a hundred years from now," he'd attempted to explain away. She let him excuse the behavior and didn't bring it up again because she realized that while they were at least talking with each other and certainly curious, he was not the type to just give away what had him so upset. That would have required a relationship longer than the winter months they'd spent together. But she just couldn't bear to let him sit around the castle and sulk either. So she made herself as amiable and approachable as possible. Though she desperately wanted to, she never brought up the clothes that she'd found in the boy's room, or the crook, or any number of questions that she was dying to have answered. When he suggested a task for her, she didn't argue; she just did it. She made an extra effort to take the things he gave her for dinner each night and track down recipes that she'd made before and knew he'd enjoyed. She made the flowers in the foyer as lovely as she could. And when he snapped at her that the silverware could use a cleaning and polishing she didn't snap back, in fact, she didn't argue at all, just let him go about his task the next morning as she stood there at the table and cleaned on their dining room table. He'd been gone for hours now, on one of his day trips no doubt, and was now eagerly awaiting his return to tell him that she was going to prepare shepherds pie for dinner. He'd never exactly told her that it was his favorite, but if the rapidness with which he ate the last one was any indication, it was his favorite of the meals that she'd made so far. It was just by luck that whatever magic delivered food to them on a daily basis left everything that she'd need there for her. Or them.

The doors opened just as she finished the polishing and was setting everything back in it's proper place. "Rumpelstiltskin, you're back!" she exclaimed in as cheerful a voice as possible. The tea wasn't exactly ready yet since she'd been so absorbed in her task but then again she didn't think he'd notice. The moment he stepped through the door she felt it all over again. Darkness. What was bothering him?! And why?!

"I, uh... I did the wash, and I polished the silver like you asked."

"Good. Now you can take care of this." He practically threw a basket she hadn't noticed he was carrying onto the table in front of her. Probably it was the spoils of his latest deal, whatever relic he'd gone out to retrieve and needed cleaning so he could add it to his-

The basket began to cry and something in the pit of her stomach jumped out of fear when she heard the sound. She peered inside and was surprised to find something she never would have expected him to bring home in a hundred years. "A baby?!"

She'd had so little experience with children; none actually, now that she really thought about it, but nevertheless she reached in and put her hands on him in the basket, trying to give him some comfort and stop his crying. What else was there she could do for him? Or at least she assumed it was a "he".

"But where-where did it come from? What..." she looked around and out the door, half expecting to see a couple standing in the foyer. But there was no one. "Where are its parents?"

"They no longer matter," Rumpelstiltskin explained looking over some books he'd left out before he'd gone. "The child's mine now."

His? His child? He'd made a deal for a newborn baby? "Y-yours?" What mother would give away her child?! Deal or not?! Unless…the feeling that had jumped to life in her belly suddenly settled low as she thought of a truly horrible scenario. "What you... you stole him?"

"Yes," he breathed. "Scandalous, isn't it?"

Scandalous didn't even begin to describe it! No wonder the poor dear was crying! He missed his parents! And that meant, somewhere out in the world right now, she knew there were parents who missed him, or her, terribly! "Shh," she hushed, hovering over the child and making the decision that there was no better time than now to try holding a baby for the first time. "It's okay. Shh. Oh, shh." It wasn't as easy as she thought. The baby was small but so was she and with the blanket wrapped around him he was the size of her torso and he didn't exactly stay still as he cried. He squirmed in her arms, making it difficult to balance on just one arm. How did women do this?! Have babies and manage households? She could hardly hold one screaming child.

She did her best to reposition him and after a moment his wails became unhappy gurgles.

"What kind of beast steals a child from its parents? I mean...what happened to you that made you like this?" She knew that something was wrong, that he was having a difficult time with something he refused to disclose but that was no excuse for what he'd done! She couldn't understand, couldn't possibly fathom this man or beast that stood before her. How could this beast, the one that stole her from her home, took this child and hunted down Robin Hood be the same man who had just saved her from a terrible fall off a ladder, the same man that gifted her with books, who spared Robin Hood's life, and came after her when she was kidnapped?! Just when she thought she was getting close to who he was underneath the dark curse, he hid back behind that mask of a monster and made her question all over again if she wanted to know.

"You'd do best to stop asking so many questions. Ahh, there it is!" he remarked suddenly, taking a scroll from the books he'd left behind and holding it high in the air. There it was? There what was? She did her best to try and look it over but with the baby in her arms her range of motion was not what it once was. "I have work to do. I'm not to be disturbed."

Not to be disturbed?! What about her? What about the baby?! He couldn't just take a baby and leave it in her care like this? She had no idea how to take care of a baby! She bobbed up and down in disgust, remembering all those times she was upset and her nurse would rock her back and forth even as a child and not just a baby. What was she supposed to do with a homesick baby?

"Well, at least tell me his name so I can soothe him. Or did you not even bother to find out?" she spat in irritation.

"Why would I?" he giggled loudly. "A name's a special thing. You don't waste it on something you've no intention of becoming... a-attached to."

Was that…was that emotion in his voice? Regret? She felt her eyes widen as she began to put the reasons for it together in her mind and came to a frightening conclusion. If he wasn't planning on getting attached to it then that meant the baby wouldn't be with them for long and if it wasn't going to be with them for long…why did he have this baby?

"What do you mean?" she questioned terrified. He didn't answer her, he didn't even look at her! "What do you plan on doing with this child?"

"I shall be back at sundown," he instructed through gritted teeth. "Don't think about trying to hide it. I'll find out."

"You-"

"Ah-ah-ah!" he hissed before she could get another word out. He left her there in the room with the small child and she gazed down into his face before she felt tears come to her own eyes. What was happening?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome one and all to the chapters for 6x09! Changelings brought us a brand new Dark Castle Flashback, and I've composed six chapters to accommodate them into Moments Known and Unknown. It wasn't easy, and some chapters were downright hard to figure out, but in the end, I think it all works into one big beautiful and cohesive story! Six years later and it's still cannon! Boom!
> 
> Thank you to Heart_of_a_oncer for your lovely comments on the last chapter! They were much appreciated and I enjoyed our conversations on C.S. Lewis! Always happy to answer questions! Peace and Happy Reading!


	25. The Goodness of Books

Thank Goodness for books. As a child, she'd been swept up in their fantasy, traveling to far off places without ever leaving her father's castle! They'd helped her and her mother learn foreign languages by the dozens and explained politics better than her tutors ever had. When she first arrived in this dreary place she'd missed books most of all and after the event with Robin Hood her library was the best possible gift that he could have given her. Those books hadn't just been an escape from her daily reminders of imprisonment, they'd taught her everything she knew. Every recipe she used, how to do the wash, the right way to clean furniture, how to properly keep a house, books had helped her with every last task in her day to day life. So there was no reason in her mind why it couldn't help her with this task.

The moment Rumpelstiltskin left her alone in the room with a baby in her arms and an order to take care of it until sunset, she'd gotten to work. Yes, of course, she wanted to know what Rumpelstiltskin intended for this child, but she couldn't do that while he was shut away in his workshop with that scroll and the baby was screaming so loud his little face turned red. The first place she went was to her library. There had to be something there that would help her with her new tasks, or one big one she supposed.

She found a few books on babies and children, though most were written for wealthy mothers and suggested tips for hiring wet nurses to care for the infant. Probably because most mothers who could read would be wealthy enough to do just that. Still, if she read between the lines she could find things that were important. _"A good wet nurse should be able to think of at least three reasons why a baby is crying. Anyone interviewing who cannot suggest a baby be changed, hungry, or tired without hesitation should be dismissed immediately."_

"Okay…changed, hungry, or tired." She looked at the baby screaming in the basket. She was certain that part of his problem of homesickness, he missed his family and all his familiar settings. But when Rumple had brought him in he'd only been crying, not screaming. Something more than homesickness was at play now. She had no idea how to check if he was tired, she'd look that up if the other two failed. But hungry and changed….changed? Like his clothes?

"Diaper!" she recalled snapping her fingers. Babies had diapers secured around them and this baby…he was a mess. "Oh!" she gasped turning up her nose and moving away. Well…the good thing was that she'd learned he was certainly a "he". But she was going to regret putting him on that table to check that. But that was for later, now she just had to get through it. In another book, she found instructions for how to properly clean the…area. And then more for how to fold a diaper from a piece of cloth and pin it or even tie it into place so it wouldn't hurt the baby. She packed up the baby and her books and went down into the kitchen to fetch a new cloth, dispose of the old one, and clean him up outside where she knew that the smell wouldn't seep into the furniture.

The baby settled after that. His screaming and crying stopped, but he still looked pathetic. His face was red, his cheeks and eyes were puffy, the poor thing had screamed himself into a fit. But he was awake and aware and smiled up at her as he squirmed in his basket, which fortunately had not suffered the same fate as his diaper. Clean once more she held him in her arms…and he made a grab for a certain part of her body which made her jump and gasp in surprise and in turn made him break into tears.

"I…I don't…I don't have anything for you! I can't…" So that was how she could tell he was hungry. But she wasn't a wet nurse; she couldn't feed him! The only thing she had around was milk that she suspected was from a cow or a goat! But…it might have been the best she had. He was hungry, and he wouldn't understand an argument about how she had nothing to give. Cow's milk it was! But how…there was nothing in the book about how to feed a baby without a wet nurse, but she knew that he couldn't drink it from a cup. She'd have to improvise. She retrieved the milk from its storage place and still didn't smell bad, another mystery of the castle. And then…and then…cloth! She couldn't just pour it into his little mouth that wouldn't work, but if she allowed for a little at a time or perhaps…a spout! Looking around her kitchen, she spotted an old teapot that they never used and she was sure he wouldn't miss. With a little string, she tied the cloth around the cup of milk and with a knife was able to fit the spout from the now broken teapot snuggly into the crevice. It wasn't exactly perfect, but it was as good as she got. She took the baby upstairs, hoisted him into her arms and was pleasantly surprised with her invention.

"Belle!"

Or at least she was impressed with her invention until he hollered, made the baby choke, and begin to cry all over again. She did her best to soothe him back to comfort and when Rumpelstiltskin approached them, even with his dark demeanor, she couldn't find a sympathetic face. He opened his mouth to speak, but then his eyes caught the special cup she'd fashioned and she saw the look of confusion on his face.

"Well, it's not like I'm a wet nurse!" she snapped. "He has to eat!"

"Of course he does, and I need to rest before tonight. See to it that he keeps quiet," he ordered striding from the room.

"And I don't suppose you're going to tell me what you intend to do to him!" she shouted after him. Of course not. The Dark One merely stalked out of the room, carrying nothing but his blackness with him.

Still hungry, she sat down with the baby, offered him his special cup once more and tried to figure out a plan of some kind for the poor thing.

He wasn't a baby that was rejected by his mother. There wasn't a chance of that. He was dressed well and clean. His blankets were nicely stitched and soft. Someone loved this child, which sadly meant that Rumple had told the truth and really taken him from his home. But why? There had to be a reason that he needed the child. There had to be! He'd stolen her from her home because he needed a maid and because he enjoyed having the company and life in the castle, no matter how much he wanted to deny that. But this baby couldn't do anything. He couldn't cook or clean, he could offer company or conversations the way that she did.

He was planning something. She knew that he was! And more to the point she knew that it wasn't good and she knew that he understood it wasn't good and felt bad for it! How did she know all this? Because of his eyes, they'd betrayed him. Right along with that choked voice of his. But mostly it was the way that he'd avoided looking at her and the baby when she'd asked about him, about the plans that he had. He liked to scare her, or at least he did not that long ago. He always had taken some sick and twisted pleasure in telling her about his plans in an effort, she suspected, to make her shrink from him but not this time around. When she'd asked he hadn't disclosed a thing, except of course guilt. He hadn't even tried to make something up. That wasn't a good sign.

She had to know what he was planning, but how? The answer, she had a feeling, was on the scroll that he'd taken away with him when he returned, probably to his lab where he'd spent his time. Of course, he wasn't there now, but he also wasn't exactly away from the castle either. He was just in his room, "resting", which was odd to her because up until this moment she wasn't sure he'd even slept! "Retired" each and every night, yes, but actually slept? She hadn't believed that he did that.

She could try and go to his lab now, sneak up to his tower without his knowledge, but of course the problem then-

Right on cue the baby pushed the cup away and began the small sobs and cries he had before. She couldn't sneak anywhere with him like this and she certainly couldn't just leave him here after the order to keep him quiet. She didn't know how long it would take her to search for the scroll and she couldn't risk Rumple coming down and finding the baby unattended. The last thing she needed was for him to be suspicious. So…what else could she do? If she had to go up there the poor boy needed to be quiet. How could she manage that?

"Changed, hungry…tired's all that's left," she muttered to herself. "Hey! Hey there, sweet boy…how about a story?" From her chambers in the dungeon, she found a stack of books that she liked to keep with her and pulled out an old favorite. "Her Handsome Hero!" she proclaimed. "My mother read this to me when I was small. Maybe…you'd like to hear it? It's about a brave man named Gideon, who risks everything to save a Princess and prove he is worthy even though he's not a Handsome Prince…"

Upstairs, she set the baby boy back into his basket, a makeshift cradle, and tucked him in as best she could. Then she read. Of course, she didn't start from the top. This book took her a day to read when she had nothing to do. This baby didn't have that long, but fortunately for her he also was too young to understand the story, and she was sure just wanted to hear her voice. So she went through, picking out favorite passages and reading them over. The moment that Gideon saved a lost sheep and ended up meeting Princess Tabitha. The first time someone told Gideon he was worthless and he proved them wrong by humbly outsmarting the village scholar. The time he set out on his quest to save the village because he refused to believe that he was only a shepherd boy. And of course, her favorite part, the moment the Gideon realized a true hero was not judged by the size of his strength but by the strength of his heart. "'The evil Sorcerer Yensid taunted poor Gideon with visions of his past, sheep in the field, scuffles with his fellow students, and all the times he'd been knocked down and called 'useless.' But Gideon was unafraid," she read softly getting to the good part. "He drew his sword and turned to face the evil Sorcerer, ready to save the people he loved…'"

From within the basket, the baby let out a little noise; perhaps it was a yawn. He did appear to be asleep, but she couldn't ignore the fact that he was turned toward her, and though his eyes were shut she had the idea that he was listening intently. "You really like this, don't you?" she smiled setting the book aside as he made more little noises. He was quiet. She'd waited hours for this. "So did I, when I was little. This is the first book that my mother ever read to me. I used to tell her that when I grew up, I was going to be a strong, brave hero, just like Gideon in the book. Maybe you could grow up to be like him someday. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

There was no response, the baby was clearly and peacefully asleep, leaving her alone to answer her own questions. Growing up to be a hero. What a wonderful thing that she'd wished for herself and now for this child as well. With parents to love him it wouldn't be a problem. What would be a problem was Rumpelstiltskin.

"Of course, you'll only get the chance to if we can figure out what Rumpelstiltskin is planning before the sun goes down and he takes you away, which…" she took a glance out the window, gauged her time. There wasn't much of it, but if they didn't act now, then when? "Now that I've calmed you down, maybe we can do that."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a difficult chapter to figure out. Logically there is just so much that doesn't make sense. As far as we know, as far as Belle knows, Rumple was going up to the lab to do his work and he took the scroll with him. Yet the next time we see Belle she sneaks up to the tower confident she can get a look, indicating that she knows he's not there anymore. But at the same time we know he's still in the castle because she wants to keep the baby quiet. Really, if Rumple has gone away somewhere the baby can scream until his eyes bleed. So I had to figure out a way to tell her it was safe to go up, but not safe enough that she couldn't be quiet or sneak around. This was what I came up with. I hope that you find it acceptable.
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	26. Red-Handed Translator

Gently, so that she didn't wake the baby, she hoisted the straps of the basket up over her shoulder and eased a little when he didn't even make a noise or motion. That was good, for what was to come she needed him to be quiet as he could be. They ventured into the lair of the beast without his permission after all.

Carefully and quietly she and the baby moved through the castle. The first floor, beside the hallway that led to Rumpelstiltskin's room, she stopped and held her breath and listened. Nothing, no noise of any kind. Maybe he really was resting, but the sun was going to be down any second and Rumpelstiltskin was a man of his word. She didn't have long. Up through the castle she went, to the place that led to his personal tower, the one that he used for his magic. At the bottom of the stairs, she listened intently once more. She could always tell when he was up there, no matter how quiet. Right now, she sensed nothing. Perfect.

Upstairs there was nothing out of place. His spinning wheel was there, unused. The tables were in their usual state of perpetual dustiness since she didn't bother to clean up here. The scroll was nowhere in sight. Not on the tables, by the mantle or window, or…

Across the room, she noticed the place she'd never ventured into. It was a door to a secondary chamber. She'd never even tried to open it before because there was no reason. This was his tower, his own space, just as the library was her own, she stayed away except for the rare time that she had to come up for something or other. But still…she'd never gone into that room! With a final look around to confirm that she didn't see the scroll she took a deep breath, went to the door and gave it a firm yank.

It opened. The baby cooed under her shoulder, and she smiled down at the sleeping child. "Our lucky day," she muttered before opening the door and stepping inside. It was a big room, bigger than it probably should have been. Probably that was magic's doing. But she couldn't worry about trying to figure out how or why at the moment. She had one goal here today and one goal only: help the child. She tiptoed through the room, ignoring the hundreds of books from his library and went for the table on the far side. It had a free space she could easily set the baby down on as she searched.

"Alright," she whispered when he cooed at the motion. Each time he did that she held her breath, not wanting to draw Rumpelstiltskin's attention. But just like every other time, the baby settled back off into sleep, and she got back to work.

She had to figure out what he wanted the child for. She had to find that scroll!

In the end, she didn't even have to look!

There, on the table right beside the baby, it was sitting already unrolled as if it was waiting for her to walk in and help the child! It was encouraging. She looked it over, and a different language met her eyes. Different, but not foreign, not to her.

"This is fairy language," she exclaimed to no one in particular, looking over the lines one by one. Fortunately, she recognized the Language of the Fairies. All those languages she and her mother had studied just for the fun of it…it was finally about to pay off. She grabbed a piece of paper and a quill, dipped it in some ink and began her work.

Command form of "to allow". Let.

Verb, third person singular, to shake or tremble.

"The sky of night"…the night sky.

Preposition, as.

Future tense verb, third person, singular, will fall.

The star of Darkness…so…The Dark Star.

"It's an incantation…" she muttered reading over the first line in her mind. "Let the night sky tremble as the Dark Star will," or more appropriately, "shall fall."

No, not an incantation! She'd spoken too soon or her knowledge of magic was simply that poor. But the next line seemed to prove her right.

Conjunction "and".

Command form of "Awake".

Command form of "listen".

Genitive participle form of "call" with first singular possession. "My call."

Finally, the bit she was dying to know. Feminine article, noun nominative form of "fairy" genitive "of blackness".

She ran over the sentence in her head, rearranging words and writing it out for herself on the piece of paper. "Let the night sky tremble as the Dark Star shall fall, Awake, Black Fairy, and heed my call".

So it wasn't an incantation. It was a summoning! "For someone called…Black Fairy," she worked out breathlessly.

The Black Fairy? But…fairies were good? Why would Rumpelstiltskin need a baby to call on a force of good? And why would he want to?! None of that made sense! "But what would Rumpelstiltskin want from her, and what does that have to do with why he took you?" she questioned looking the child over. Something wasn't right.

"That's for me to know..." motion and a voice behind her made her jump and turned to see Rumpelstiltskin behind her collecting the scroll and…the piece of paper she'd just written everything down on! No. Why did he want that?! No! She hadn't just…"And you never to find out."

"No! You knew I was going to do this," she realized. The scroll wasn't laid out so perfectly because it wanted her to save the child it was laid out perfectly because he'd wanted her to translate it! And now he had that translation!

"Not only did I know. I was planning on it. You really think I left the tower door open by accident?" No. He'd used her, and she'd played right into his plan. "I don't speak fairy, but why do I need to when I have you?"

"No!" she refused to be used like this, to let him take what she'd done and make her a partner in crime. "I will not let you hurt this baby!" she turned to collect him and run. That was better than just letting him…

Where the child once sat, there was only red swirling smoke. No more basket, no more blanket, no more…baby!

Behind her, the familiar cries and coos of the child echoed in the tower, and she turned to find him in Rumpelstiltskin's hands, and the scroll pointed at her as if it was a deadly weapon. "The child is no longer your concern," he informed her. "I think you should stay here for a while. Don't want you getting any ideas about trying to stop me."

She watched as the Dark One turned and left the tower, all the while she tried to think of a word, a phrase, a remark, a question anything to delay him. But then he was just gone. And so was the baby.

"No!" she cried running after the pair of them. Her body slammed into the door, suddenly an immovable force. It was sealed shut. She was trapped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hate it when they make things so easy. Rumple is smart, Belle is smart, he could have at least made it look like he'd tried to hide the scroll. But I guess I understand. Time constraints and all that jazz. They don't have forever. It is what it is.
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	27. Another Heroic Opportunity

Her greatest problem, at the moment, wasn't being locked in the room. It was the color of the sky.

It had been orange when she'd brought the baby up here and as she pounded at the door with her fist and yelled with her voice to let her out. It was red when she started to lose hope and began kicking halfheartedly and tearfully, begging him to let her out, knowing in her mind he wasn't on the other side and wasn't going to change his mind. When the sky turned purple, she got her second wind, wiped her eyes and began her pounding all over again. She found a knife and tried to cut her way through the wood, but it wouldn't even splinter! She tried to pry up the hinges to remove the door but it wouldn't budge. When it got dark, so dark shadows didn't hardly exist anymore, she finally retrieved a candlestick and tried hitting the lock, hoping the mechanism would fail or fall off or…something! She was getting tired again and didn't think that the baby could wait for her to get a third wind, which wouldn't be of any help if she couldn't even get out of the room! But she had to keep trying. She had to keep pushing through if it made her fingers bleed! If it made her-

Something changed. There was light in the room! It was…it was coming from outside the room! Bleeding under the door! A bright light with a blue hue to it that seemed to glow brighter and brighter by the second. She saw magic every day but never magic like that, not here! She had no idea what it meant…but she couldn't take the chance it was nothing.

"Hello?" she called out, fearing the words that would follow. It wasn't Rumple, was it? And if it was, then where was the baby? Was she too late? She had to know! "Hello? Is someone out there? Please, I... I need help!"

No answer came. The glow disappeared. Was she seeing things? Was she that tired? "Hello? I..." She spotted the little peep hole in the door and slid the latch away, prepared to meet the eyes of an angry Dark One and face the truth of the baby's fate. "Hell-oh!"

It wasn't Rumpelstiltskin. It was a bug?! No, it wasn't a bug! It was a small woman…with wings on her back and a light blue color to her that made her glow. The same light blue color that she'd just seen out of the door. She flew into the chamber so fast that she had to move out of the way or else she would have smacked into her.

"You're a...a fairy," she realized with a gasp. She'd never seen one before, only read about them in her books! And of course the translation…but-

She'd never seen or read about a fairy that could do what she just did. Before her eyes, the fairy began to grow from the size of a large fruit until she was standing straight and tall on the ground before her, wings missing, the size of a full-grown woman. Maybe even taller than her!

"I'm Blue," she stated. "And by the looks of things, you're another soul held captive by the Dark One."

Blue? What was that supposed to mean? Was she depressed? Did it matter? She was a fairy that had entered the Dark Castle and made it this far without being detected. Fairies were good, all her books told her so, and she did have a wand...was it possible that she could save her.

"Yeah, an-and I need you to get me out of here," she begged. "Rumpelstiltskin has a child who's in great danger."

"I know. That's why I'm here. I came as soon as I sensed the fairy incantations being read. We have to stop him before he can use it to summon The Black Fairy," she explained with desperation.

"Why?" she questioned. She didn't seem half as worried about what Rumpelstiltskin had done as she did the summoning of the Black Fairy. Her reasoning seemed backward unless there was something she didn't understand."I thought that all fairies were good."

"Well," she huffed. "She used to be good…once."

Once? But she wasn't anymore. How could a fairy, a creature of goodness and light possibly be bad? "What happened?"

The fairy sighed and gave a small shrug of her shoulders, dismissing her question. "No one knows exactly. Just that her heart blackened and she stopped defending the children that she was meant to protect. She started stealing them instead."

Stealing them. So…the baby would live but…but he'd be taken away forever? Never to see her again, never to see his parents again?!

"Which means that that child is in grave danger. Rumple is trying to use it to lure her."

"But why? What could possibly be so important that he'd want from her?" Why would Rumple do this, it didn't make sense! He was in business for himself, not for others! Was he going to offer to make a deal with the Black Fairy? The child for…she didn't even know?! She had to get out of here and help the child!

"I wish I knew," the fairy lamented. "But, right now, we just need to get you free so that you can save that child."

"What? Me?" she blanched. She was only a girl, but this woman was a fairy! Why couldn't she be the one to stop her?! Didn't that make more sense? Good magic against Dark magic and all that? "But I-I-I don't have magic."

"Well, that's precisely why it has to be you," the fairy argued. "My magic can't save him."

Her magic couldn't save him but…but she could? She didn't understand. But understanding wasn't necessary the next moment. The fairy took her wand, made a motion at something over her shoulder, and when she looked behind her, she saw the door to the chamber knocked back, wide open for her. Suddenly freedom and opportunity stood before her. It didn't matter who rescued the child, just so long as he was safe.

"Hurry!" the fairy urged, pushing her onward. "There's not much time."

Right…none of this made any sense to her. But if she wanted to rescue this child, if she wanted him to grow up to be strong and courageous, she had to be strong and courageous herself. Just like in her books! This was just one more opportunity to do the right thing, an opportunity to do the brave thing. It was an opportunity she couldn't turn down! She may fail, she wasn't sure what she could do against magic, but she'd try as if it was her own life that depended on it.

"Wish me luck?" she asked of the fairy looking ahead of her. "I'm going to need it…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, short chapter. In a perfect world I would have combined it with something but alas, there really was nothing to combine it with. This is long before Belle would have thought to use magic for herself and what comes after certainly doesn't belong in this chapter! Hope you like it!
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	28. Discovery of an Unbelievable Secret

She ran from the room as fast as she could, back through the outer chamber and to the stairs. Behind her she heard the rustle of the blue colored fairy following her and for a moment she dared to hope that she was wrong and the woman was at least going to come with her. But she didn't. As she sprinted down the stairs the fairy caught herself on the railing above. "Follow the fates!" she yelled after her. "Just believe, and they'll show you the way!"

She didn't bother to ask what she was talking about, just trusted that one of these "fates" would intervene! Down the stairs, she ran, through the levels of the castle through the foyer-

"Oh!" she nearly tripped as something she'd never seen brought her to a sudden stop on the floor. There, by the door to their great room, an odd little wisp of smoke was bouncing or floating, weightlessly. No…it wasn't a wisp of smoke it was…it was a creature of some kind, nearly the same color of blue that the fairy had been. When she stared at it long enough, the wisp had a face, two eyes and something like a smile to it. It wasn't saying anything, at least nothing that she could understand, instead, as she stared at it, it seemed to sigh, or laugh, or maybe it was just breathing. She took a few steps closer-

And it vanished…

But there! Only a few feet away, it reappeared! The same one or a different one she couldn't be entirely positive but when she stepped close to that one the same thing happened. It disappeared and reappeared a few feet away leading her through the great room. The fates. These were the fates the fairy spoke of? They were mesmerizing, casting a spell over her so that she suddenly no longer felt as scared or panicked as she had before. They demanded that she follow after them and trust them to deliver her to where she should be. Nervously, she trailed after the thing, and it led her down into the dungeons, to her room where she grabbed her cloak, just in case, and then took her to the kitchen and stood by the door. When she got close, it vanished, and one didn't reappear. She looked wildly around for it but saw nothing except…except the door.

"Okay," she breathed, realizing what it wanted her to do. "'Believe, and they'll show you the way'…I believe…I believe…please take me to him!"

With a deep breath, she opened the door and gasped. Not just one of the little fates hovered about the ground, dozens, maybe even hundreds. They extended as far as her eye could see, creating a little trail into the castle grounds, out the gates, and beyond. The spell they'd had before was broken, no longer was she mesmerized by their odd glow, now she felt determined and hopeful.

She took off, following the path they lit for her. They led her through trees, deep into the forest outside the walls of the castle, down the mountain so that she swore the temperature went up. And then-

Suddenly the trail ended. Looking ahead they had been constant little things, disappearing before she ever got close to them, but up ahead she could see an end. Ten little fates, nine, seven, three, two, one, and then nothing…

Her heart raced and not just from the longest and fastest run she'd ever taken in her life, but because there was nothing around her. The trees were still, the air was cool, there was no Rumpelstiltskin, no baby. But-

Just to her left, something caught her eye. Movement. Something had moved, something she couldn't quite make out in the dark but it was followed by something that she did recognize. A baby's cry! She was close! Had she managed to catch up with him?! No wonder they were called fates.

A bellowing voice answered "Let the night sky tremble, as the Dark Star shall fall. Awake, Black Fairy, and heed my call." Those were the words that she'd just translated! And that was Rumpelstiltskin's voice echoing unnaturally through the air. Magic was at work, but she ignored the feel of it and crept through the trees closer and closer to the sounds of crying. Finally she could make out a clearing through the trees! It was dark but from her spot she could see something there on the ground. It was the basket with the baby still inside it! Rumple was nowhere in sight but there was something that she could make out. There was something purple and glittering flying through the sky approaching the child, something just as small as the other fairy had been, but then grew and grew and grew…metallic purple dust glittered from the arms and legs of fully grown woman who was suddenly crouched on the ground, smiling wickedly and excitedly at the baby before her. She was dressed in black, except for her pale skin, she was covered in it.

This was the Black Fairy. She'd failed the fairy. It was too late, she was here! But she didn't have the baby yet! She could still take him and get him home.

But before she could take any significant step forward, the fairy rose, took a step of her own and-

"I'm afraid I can't let you get ahold of that baby," Rumpelstiltskin growled, revealing himself from the shadows and placing himself between her and the child. "Not yet, anyway."

"Who dares summon me?" the woman questioned, advancing on her master. Rumpelstiltskin didn't hesitate, he threw something at the woman something smoky and watery all at one time and every advance the fairy made stopped as she glowed purple one last time. Was she…did that stuff immobilize her?

"Squid ink!" Rumple proclaimed dropping what must have been the vile. "Nasty stuff." Yes…yes she'd heard of that "nasty stuff" and he was indeed right! Squid ink would immobilize her. She didn't know why Rumple had summoned her but she knew now was her chance. He could deal with the fairy, she could take the baby.

"Rumpelstiltskin," the woman assumed as she crept closer, her eyes on her prize.

"So, you know who I am."

"Oh, who hasn't heard of the Dark One? And if you've heard of me, you know that squid ink won't hold me long." She stopped her advances and looked at the pair of them. She hadn't taken into account that the fairy would be free soon. If she grabbed the baby, would Rumple help her as he had with those witches who kidnapped her? Or would he stand aside? He was standing so close to her, circling her like a hawk. She had to believe he'd help. After all, it didn't seem he really wanted to give the child to her anyway.

"Oh, I know. That's why... I have this."

This? A knife? Her heart raced and turned upside-down. Was he going to hurt her? Injure her in some way, torture her?! She didn't want to stand around and just watch that happen. But she didn't want the baby there either! The baby, the baby was her goal. She couldn't lose sight of that. And yet she couldn't stop looking at the pair of them.

"And how exactly do you plan on using that?"

"Well, that all depends on how you answer one simple question. You steal babies, steal them from their mothers' arms, so, why, of all the babies, in all of the realms, why did you abandon the one child who was actually yours?"

She felt the air get colder around her. She had a hunch. Nothing more than a hunch about the question that he'd just asked, about his knowledge of this fairies past, and now she watched eagerly, holding her breath to see what would happen, for her to deny it. The Black Fairy's smile vanished.

"No," she croaked. "No. It can't be."

"Oh, I'm afraid it can be..." Rumpelstiltskin whispered back. "Mother."

She fought to hold in her gasp of surprise at the confirmation. The Black Fairy…she was his…his mother?!

And that apparently wasn't all to this shocking tale! She went around stealing babies when for him she'd actually…she'd abandoned him? She could have cried at such a sad story! How could a mother, the one person who was supposed to care and love without fail do that to their own child?! Reject them like that?! No wonder he was like this. How could anyone recover from such an awful betrayal?

They didn't. They became as Dark and closed off as he did. Suddenly the Dark One made a lot more sense than he had that morning before all of this began.

The only consolation to this tale was that the Black Fairy looked horrified that this was the outcome. "That's right. Rumpelstiltskin is your son. Of course, you would know that... Had you bothered to even give me a name."

She was breathless. Absolutely amazed. Rumple had summoned her here and she hadn't even recognized him as her son. She'd left him a nameless baby. A nameless-

Her thoughts shifted as the Dark One rounded on the Fairy who was his mother. There was another nameless child here, but not one who was abandoned, one who was stolen, whose mother and father did care, who had given him a name and clothes and were missing him now! Tragic as this tale was, now wasn't the time to do anything about it! Now was the time to fix one problem, and talk about the other later.

"And now you are gonna answer my question," growled face to face with his mother. That was the moment, while both of them were locked and focused on each other, she just had to reach out, take the basket and-

"Why did you abandon me?"

She stopped the moment she heard a laugh, not a familiar one from Rumple, but from the Black Fairy. Was she laughing at him? At his inquiry and desperation? Oh, she wanted so much to step forward and give her "something to laugh at," as Samuels father had often threatened him, but the baby was so close. Rescue the baby first, help Rumple later!

"Funny that the Dark One should ask such a thing. Sometimes you have to choose power over love." She finally lunged forward to grab the baby and-

He made a noise, a small cry at suddenly being moved and she felt her skin break out into a cold sweat! She raised him into her arms and glanced over at the pair, hoping by some miracle they'd been so caught up in each other that they would ignore her. But it wasn't so. Rumpelstiltskin, he turned and spotted her and for a moment she was frozen there, caught by the greatest sorcerer in the world with nothing but guilt written on her face! And the Black Fairy-

"Time's up!" the woman finally snapped. She gasped as she saw an arm swing out and her hand wrap around Rumple's neck. She moved to help him but…but how?! This was a fairy or former fairy against the Dark One and all she had was a baby! She should have forced that other fairy to come with her and help!

"No more answers for you today," the woman taunted as her own son struggled against her. "Guess you'll just have to keep on wondering. Son!" she laughed as she tossed him across the clearing with force she'd never seen and couldn't comprehend. He was the Dark One, he was powerful…why hadn't he fought back? She expected him to, to rise and use magic to hurt and kill her, to have to pull him off her. But he didn't. He didn't have time. Before he could recover from his fall the woman turned and ran off into the woods or…not so much. As she ran she changed into that purple color once more, shrank down to size, grew wings…and was gone.

Rumple stared after her. That same dark feeling that had rolled off of him in waves over the last few days was there again. He didn't move, didn't speak, just stared at the place she'd gone as if he might see her come back.

Her instinct was to approach him, to put a hand on his shoulder and comfort him in some way because though she couldn't understand something like abandonment, she knew that this had been a traumatic event for him. But there was a baby in her arms, holding her back, and her shaking legs didn't help things either.

"I understand now," she called across the distance between them. She understood what he'd intended tonight, what he'd wanted, why he'd been so depressed lately. She didn't know what brought it on at this moment in his life, but it didn't matter. He'd wanted answers, but this had been the wrong way to get them. And though she wanted to let him go home and lick his wounds, there was still the baby to consider. "I mean, you didn't deserve what she did. But sacrificing the life of an innocent child is not the answer. No matter how much pain you're in."

She held her breath and waited for the answer, for the response she was sure she would receive. Angry and irritable, there would no doubt be yelling, no doubt the child would awaken they would scream at one another and-

"No one knows anything about my pain," he hissed over his shoulder at her.

And then, before they could really get into any kind of argument he was gone in a puff of red smoke, leaving her alone in the forest with the baby safely in her arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoa, the Black Fairy is Rumpelstiltskin's Mother! Did anyone see that coming?! Yeah, okay I know a few people predicted it pretty much based on nothing, but still that was actually a pretty good surprise in this episode. My jaw was on the floor, was yours?! I guess only time will tell what comes of this revelation!
> 
> We are not done with the 6x09 updates. I know that this is kinda sorta the end, but we did get a flash of Belle taking the baby back and I was able to get one more chapter out of them so go ahead to the next chapter and then tell me what you think of the updates! Peace and Happy Reading!


	29. A Man of His Word

It was dark, and she was alone, and she'd run so fast down the hill, following the little blue wisps of smoke, that she hadn't taken notice of how she'd gotten to this place. Frantically, she looked around, wishing and hoping that they would appear again, but now that she had the baby in her arms it appeared they were gone.

She had no idea where the castle was, no idea where the baby had come from, and could not think of a way to figure out where his home was! Not to mention they couldn't stay out here all night! It was too cold for that. She could cry out for Rumpelstiltskin, demand he take the two of them to their proper place this very moment! Or she could let him alone, and allow him time to cool down before making one final demand. As for getting home? She just had to think a little.

A moment later she realized that this was simpler than she was trying to make it. She'd never left the mountain Rumple lived on top of, they were in a clearing that was fairly even, but she could feel a slight slope beneath her feet. All she had to do was follow the slope back up the mountain until she ran into the walls of his castle. Then she'd find a door back inside. Yes, that was the plan. The journey wasn't far; she'd made it to this point in only a matter of minutes! But of course, that was running and traveling by herself when the path was unquestionable. Now, she was on her own, walking, and she was a fair distance from the clearing before she realized that she'd failed to remember to put the baby back in the basket. Her arms were sore her from holding him. To think that before all this she'd believed he was light! Her biceps hurt, her feet hurt, her belly hurt, her lungs couldn't catch enough air…when the castle finally came back into view, she was just as happy as she was tired and terrified. She would have loved to take the baby inside, to make a nest of blankets for him in her room and go to sleep vowing to take him back in the morning but she couldn't.

Rumple was hurting, his heart was bleeding, and by morning he might have stitched himself back together again and then all hope for ever convincing him to return the child would have been gone! She had to convince him now, tonight. She could pick up the pieces of his torn soul after he was safely back home with his parents. Neither them nor their baby could wait until morning to be reunited.

He was in their great room, sitting at his spinning wheel when she stumbled upon him, doing his best to "forget" she supposed. She could understand wanting to forget what had happened, but there was a child who couldn't at the moment unless he helped. He had to-

"Leave," he commanded the moment she stepped inside with the squirming baby. She continued to hold him, to bounce him up and down, but she offered no soothing words to silence his cries. She hoped they'd get through to the thick-skinned beast before her.

"You have to take him back," she insisted coming closer. "Now!"

"I don't have to do anything!" he argued in a high pitched voice before coming to stand before her, his gaze was angry, but she held her ground as his jaw tightened. "And you've caused enough damage tonight. Leave!"

He moved around her, probably content to leave himself, but she wasn't just going to let him get away with this. "Well, you can't just leave him here! Are you going to raise him?! Am I?!" she called after him.

"Let him be."

"I will not let him be!" she screamed so loud he finally stopped in his tracks, spun around and-

She'd never seen his face look that furious before. "And it's because of that remarkable inability you possess, you foolish, selfish girl, that the entire plan failed!" he wailed stepping back up to her. "I'd have never sent that child or any child to live with her. She's a demon and nothing more, and he was the bait. If it weren't for you, he'd be at home with his parents right now, and I'd have my answers. But now, since I can't get what I want, it seems fitting you shouldn't get what you want either even if it means that he doesn't get what he wants. Misery for everyone!"

So, it was that simple? He was just going to lay this at her feet as if it was her fault?! No, she wouldn't stand for such a thing! She hadn't kidnapped the boy! She hadn't called the fairy! And she hadn't been the one to demand answers with nothing but squid ink as a precaution. There were a thousand different ways what he'd done could have gone wrong. He'd just let his judgment cloud his ability!

She wanted to yell and scream at him, to fight back as she had with Robin Hood but the crying baby he'd left in her arms reminded her that she couldn't. They couldn't be angry at each other; this situation required delicacy.

"Is that what you think?" she questioned gently before he could leave the room. "That you'll never get your answers? I don't believe that. I know that things we long for most often reveal themselves in the least likely of ways when we least expect it, and you…you will get your answers. I believe that. You can do anything when you set your mind to it; I've seen it, Rumpelstiltskin."

"Well then you have seen too much and not enough at the same time," he spat over his shoulder. "Leave! Return to the dungeon, and leave me in peace, before I have you flogged for your actions."

She opened her mouth but wasn't exactly surprised to see him disappear before she could face him. He wanted to be left alone? Too bad. If she was getting somewhere with him, that was all the better, and she knew he wouldn't hurt her. He'd threatened that one too many times and fallen through for it to work. And fortunately for her, she knew exactly where he'd go.

She grabbed a candelabra and precariously balanced the baby in her free arm before heading up the stairs and back into the tower he'd locked her in earlier. He was there, sitting at his wheel spinning just as he had been when she'd first walked in on him downstairs.

"You are on very thin ice!" he hissed at her from his place. No matter the veiled threat she pushed forward. She set the candelabra down on a table, removed one of the candles and began lighting more in the dark tower so that she could see better.

"Look, I can't imagine what you went through-"

"-it's none of your concern-"

"But the child is!" she stressed as gently as possible. She was at the point where she knew she'd either sink or swim, doom the child or save him. She wanted to save him, and she couldn't do that by treading lightly. "You grew up without a mother, and I am so sorry about that, but this child…he's loved by his parents."

"And how would you know that?"

"They care for him," she explained moving closer to him so that she and the baby could at least be in his line of sight. The baby certainly didn't have any problems with being heard. "They made him decent clothes and kept him healthy and clean. Parents that do that will be missing him. And listen to him cry! He's been changed and well fed and slept since he got here. Now, he's heartbroken; he misses his mother and father too! Please…please don't sentence him to the same fate as you by making him grow up without a mother!"

"Why not?" he questioned turning to face her from his perch on the stool. "I turned out perfectly fine!"

She let silence pass between them for a few moments. Just long enough for him to know that he was lying, not only to her but himself as well. She paused just long enough to recognize the brokenness in his gaze and just how far he had fallen from the man he could be.

"If that were true then you wouldn't be stealing children and demanding answers that make you miserable," she finally pointed out.

Once again, she paused for just a few breaths. He was clever and strong; he held that gaze unflinching, unwilling to admit what he knew was true, what they both knew was true. She sighed and finally hushed the child, unwilling to endure his screams anymore simply because what was having an effect on Rumpelstiltskin was her voice. Not his.

"Look…" she finally whispered when he quieted some. I know that despite what you say and how you act there is more to you than just this thing that you have become, what she helped turn you into. And I know that you don't want this child to suffer the same way that you did just like you don't want him to be here forever. Tell me who his parents are. Let me take him home so that we can get back to our peace and quiet, so that we can talk about what happened."

"There will be no talking regardless!" he stated pushing back from the wheel and moving away from her. She bit the inside of her cheek and let out a sigh of frustration. She was so close a minute ago. But it was clear he wanted her gone and to forget the incident while she wanted…

She wanted…he wanted…when two people both have something the other wants…

She didn't want to let this go, it was important but…the baby and getting him home to his mother and father was more important than what she wanted right now.

"Fine…" she finally conceded. "Make me a deal."

Just as it always did, that caught his attention. "Deal?"

"Well, the other one worked out so well, why not?" she stated sarcastically, moving back to stand before him and look him in the eye. "Let me take the child back to his family and in return…in return I'll forget everything I saw and heard today. I'll never mention the Black Fairy, or your mother, or even this child again!"

"I could just as easily take away your voice, or erase your memory."

"Take away my voice, and you'll soon learn that there is more than a voice to complaint and protest. you won't be able to silence me forever. And if you take away my memory then you'll hand me a baby and I'll spend the rest of my days asking questions about him. Those questions will be a constant reminder of tonight! Every time we speak, every time you see him, he will be a constant reminder of this conversation, tonight, and your stubbornness.

"Please…I know you didn't want to hurt him or me, you just wanted your answers, but…she won't come back to you now, not now that she knows who you are. He's of no more use to you. Let me take him home."

Rumpelstiltskin quietly stared her down for enough time that she worried it wouldn't work. But then, without even a sigh of lament, he relented. "His parents live a fair distance from here, in the middle of a distant wood. Jack and Jill, royals cast out of their home they are farmers now, working the land. Even if they told someone the child was gone, there is little chance anyone would help them."

It would have been easy to be saddened by his story and even more disgusted at his reasoning but…now really wasn't the time. "Okay…" she sighed, suddenly determined. "I have to find them."

"Stop!" he called before she could even make it to the stairs. She turned back to face him, heart pumping, mind filling with things that might happen, ways he'd stop or hinder her from going. "I can't have you roaming about the countryside!"

He waved his arm as if reaching out to hit something and the world around her dissolved in a smoky haze.

It took a while for her eyes to adjust to the darkness it had been so bright in the tower, but when her vision cleared she saw that she was standing at a tree line just outside a forest. Just ahead of her was a farmhouse. Smoke was rising from the chimney. Was this…his home?

"Hello?" she called out, taking a few steps closer to the place. "Hello?!" Ahead of her the door to the house opened, and a woman with blond hair glanced outside. Even in the dark distance she could see that she'd been crying, probably all day and-

"Jack!" she turned shouting back into the house. "He's home!" The woman ran out of the house and met her in the middle as a large man with brown hair raced after her.

"Is he alright?!" the man cried. She didn't even hesitate to set him back into his mother's arms. "Hey little man, are you okay?" he cooed looking down at the boy who was no longer crying.

"Fine," she answered for him. "I found him in the woods, and someone told me he belonged here," she explained to the couple who, she was certain, weren't even listening. It wasn't exactly a lie. But it was all that mattered now.

"Oh thank you," the mother, Jill she supposed, muttered without taking her eyes off him. "Oh, my little Gideon…I'm so happy your home."

Gideon. If it was possible, her smile grew once more. No wonder he'd liked the story so much. He'd probably liked hearing the sound of his name, and thought it had been about him. And now he could grow up, big and strong, just like his fictional counterpart. Gideon really was the perfect name for a boy.

She watched his mother plant a kiss on his forehead and her task complete stepped away. "I really should be getting home," she explained. "I'm happy he's with you."

The father, before she could get away, looked up at her with a thankfulness she'd never seen but then reached out and hugged her. He was nearly twice her size, and he swallowed her up, but without words, he'd just conveyed more than language, fairy or otherwise, ever could.

When he let her go, she walked back to the tree line and was just beginning to wonder about how she'd get home when she felt the feeling of the world shifting once more. When it cleared, she was sitting in her favorite chair by the fire in their great room; Rumpelstiltskin was nowhere in sight, and the castle was just as quiet as it had been when she woke up that morning. She sighed as she undid the clasp on her cloak and picked up the book on the side table. _Her Handsome Hero._

"No matter what your past as made you into Rumpelstiltskin…I'm glad you are a man of your word."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It is odd to me how the smallest and simplest of scenes can make really important chapters to Moments. This "scene" in the show was only a few seconds, I could see there was talking, but we certainly couldn't hear it. When I saw this scene I had a ton of questions. How had Belle gotten there? How did she get Rumple to tell her where the baby came from? What did they actually say? I'm not good at lip reading, but I do like how this chapter and that little fragment turned out.
> 
> Well, we have finally arrived at the end of the 6x09 updates! I hope you've enjoyed them and that they fit so seamlessly in with the rest of MK&U that you would never have known they were missing or added in. I can't wait to hear what you have to say about it all! And of course, if this is the first time you are reading MK&U, enjoy the next chapter! Peace and Happy Reading!


	30. Beauty and the Beast

Over the next few weeks, they both proved to be people of their word. Rumpelstiltskin had delivered the child back to his home, and in return, she didn't mention that wretched day, though she wanted to more than anything. Her idea of processing and handling a situation was to talk about it; his was apparently brooding on his own. And so, for days after the dreaded event, that black cloud that she'd sensed hanging over him before the event remained, until one night, as they sat together at the table for their supper it was just gone. She glanced over at him, expecting to see some explanation, a smile or sigh of relief that indicated he'd made his peace with what happened. But all she was was him staring into the fire, waiting patiently for her to finish dinner so they could get on with their night.

Things were back to normal between them, or as normal as they could ever get, or had been before the trial of the baby. They lived out their days in comfortable silence, each doing their individual tasks, at tea they discussed books or his treasures, and after dinner, so long as they weren't interrupted, they spent quiet time in the Great Room before retiring.

Of course, neither of them liked the late, last minute guests that arrived in the castle. During the day was one thing, but after supper...they didn't enjoy having their private time bombarded with requests. But tonight was an exception. Someone had knocked on the door just after their dinner. Of course, it was abnormal to get visitors that late but fine. She'd wanted to clean the windows anyway and with him always spinning at his wheel it made her task difficult as she didn't want to interrupt him. She could hear them as she cleaned, even up on that tall ladder, which she'd noticed had mysteriously become sturdier since her tumble. The poor woman, whoever she was, was pouring her heart out to, what she was sure, was a fairly non-receptive, Rumpelstiltskin. There was a boy, she had loved him since before she could remember, but he and his father had been imprisoned in the top of a high tower with no doors or stairs by a witch of some kind. As she moved her ladder over to set after set of windows, the woman continued to talk, and she couldn't help but shake her head.

He wouldn't care. She didn't even need to be in the same room to see his face or hear his voice to know that at the end of the day all he would care about was the deal he made. The players and details were inconsequential. Frankly, she found she couldn't blame him. No one ever seemed to take an interest in his life, to care for him, including his own family it seemed! Why would he be interested in them? Why should he be? The woman had finished the tale just as she was on the last window. That thought alone made her roll her eyes, five large windows that required a ladder to clean; it was not a quick task, and yet she'd had the time. As she'd been finishing he had finally inserted himself into the conversation, explaining something about a dove that would fly a potion to the prisoners which would make them sprout wings and fly down to her...for a price.

But she never did get to hear what the price was. Echoing footsteps told her they were going into his work area, the tower opposite her library. She didn't know how he would make her pay, but from what she had seen of his deals, her own the few exceptions, she knew they never exactly worked out in the other person's favor. In her opinion, the woman was better off spending months trying to learn how to scale an unscaleable wall. Magic was never worth the price. She only needed to see him to know it was true. Magic, she was certain, had turned him into the dealmaker he was today. He was as much a victim of it as those he victimized.

Finished with her task she let the fresh light dance across her skin, clearer and brighter now that the windows had finally been clean. She took the dreadful ladder back to its hiding space and returned for the cleaning bucket but paused by what it had been placed beside.

She'd never asked questions about the object covered by the blanket. He'd never said it was part of the collection, never insisted it be cleaned, and she'd really never noticed it before. But he wasn't around now, and she had her tools right here, she didn't need the ladder but if she stood on a chair she was certain she could at least give the object a good washing with ease.

Why not? It wouldn't take long, she could return to her book afterward. Gingerly, she stepped forward and took the thick cloth in her hand. She'd been living here too long and knew to expect the unexpected, so she was both surprised and relieved, and maybe a little embarrassed, when she took a peek first and saw that it was just a commonplace mirror. She pulled the cloth off of it and sighed as she glanced into the harmless object. It seemed normal, why he would cover it up was a complete mystery. As she moved to reach down and pick up her rag she stopped, strangely startled at the girl she saw in front of her. Suddenly the reason for her pause popped into her head.

This was the first time in months that she'd seen a clear image of herself, head to toe, and she looked...different. It was hard to put her finger on, but it was more than just the clothes that she was wearing or the style of her hair. She looked herself up and down, searching for differences. Her back was slouched slightly in a way that would have been inappropriate in her former life. And she supposed her head was tilted at an angle that was more confident and comfortable than when she had always been told to raise it with prestige. She supposed she looked more at ease...

That was it! Comfort! She looked comfortable and relaxed. And she liked it. It was like staring back at her, for the first time, was herself. She watched as a smile spread across her face. She'd never been vain, but she'd never been stupid either. She knew she was a beautiful girl, but she'd never wanted people to see that. She didn't want to be a beautiful girl. Smart, funny, intelligent, regal, any of those would do if they could come first before her beauty. It hadn't bothered her that she didn't have anything to look at herself with here, in fact until this moment, she'd hardly noticed. But the transformation that had taken place when she wasn't looking, it was one no one in the courts would be proud of, but she was.

"Careful now, dearie!" She jumped and placed a hand over her chest as her body reacted to his high-pitched voice and the door echoed closed behind him.

He usually didn't startle her, but she'd been too busy staring into the depths of the mirror to noticed his return. "How long have you been standing there?" she asked surprised to find herself more curious than embarrassed. Had he noticed these changes before she had? Had he seen this transformation happening all along? What did he think about it?

"Long enough," he answered head bowed and fingers tapping together. He sobered, she had learned that quickly. There was a way he talked when he had to be the deal maker, and there was a way he talked when he was himself, with her, even if he was angry. He wasn't joking anymore; he was being completely honest and serious. "Mirrors can be dangerous objects," he explained. "If you must possess one, it's best to keep it covered."

She shook her head brow furrowing at his accusation, what was the purpose of having one if you couldn't use it. "But why? It's just a simple looking-glass."

"That may be true. But when you look into a mirror, you should always keep in mind, that you never know what might be looking back." He came to stand behind her, and she could see their reflections so clearly. It was a startling sight! They were Beauty and…the Beast. As soon as she thought the word she wanted it gone from her mind. She didn't see him that way, not anymore, not after she'd called him that and then learned the truth about his mother. And yet she couldn't deny that despite what he was on the inside, his outside was just as shocking. He was hardly what people of traditional beauty would consider beautiful.

Was that what he didn't like looking back at him in the mirrors? Was that what was so frightening to him? His appearance? Did he hate what he had become on the outside, too? She could relate to being judged by appearances and hated it just as much. They had that much in common, the world saw them as one thing, and never even bothered to wonder who they could be underneath. He was not what the world thought he was. There was more to him. She knew it. She'd seen the proof weeks ago.

The children's clothing. She still didn't think it had been his, not now, knowing that his mother had left him behind. No, those clothes belonged to someone, a child, who had been loved. But who they belonged to she wasn't sure. A friend? A mentor? The person that had owned the cane...a son? Her mind had left her thinking that there was something else to him. There was a past she didn't know about, but was becoming more and more aware of. There was something more than his mother he kept secret. But just as she had found dresses perfectly fit for her laying about and known they were just for her to find, she wondered if he hadn't wanted her to find those items too. She wondered if he was desperate enough for contact that he wanted her to ask him about it, but would never admit it. She knew his mother was off-limits, for many reasons. But what about this mysterious boy?

As she glanced at their reflection, she was suddenly aware of the hands at her waist. She didn't know when they had arrived and her suspicion was he wasn't even mindful of the fact that he was doing it. Or how close he was against her back, so close she could feel his breath against her ear and his heart pounding against his chest. His heart. She knew he had one. But she was startled to find that her own seemed to be racing, so hard that it felt more like it had stopped. Suddenly she felt frightened, not of him. Instead, she was frightened to move, too scared, that if she made any quick movements, he would startle and leave her with nothing.

Her mouth was dry and she swallowed as her mind continued to wander back to the children's clothes she had found, then tenderly folded and placed back into their drawer weeks ago. She had her suspicions, but she didn't know how to approach it. He never seemed to worry about bluntness, in fact, he liked to state things about others outright when making deals. Would the same thing work for him now as it had when she'd been on the ladder?

"Best to keep this old thing covered," with a flick of his wrist and a puff of smoke the thick cloth was back over it and their reflection had disappeared from her sight. It happened so quickly that the motion startled her and she found herself leaning back into him more than she had meant to. But he didn't pull away, in fact, it was his hand that had kept her steady and not toppled them over.

She took a deep breath and swallowed, taking her eyes off the covered mirror and did her best to look at him, despite the strange angle. "What happened?" she asked quietly, "to your family?" As soon as the words left her mouth she knew that she wasn't just curious about his past, she had to know it. Desperately. She saw his head tilt and knew that he was looking at her.

"What happened..." he whispered in her ear, his voice was low, serious...honest, and it made her stomach twist nervously although why she wasn't sure, "is I'm a difficult man to love." She felt her chest rise and fall with a happy sigh. It was inappropriate for the situation, but she was happy to know something about him. He'd answered her questions again. No hesitation. No jokes. He wore an invisible mask to the rest of the world, but little by little he was growing comfortable with taking it off in her presence, and it made her happier than the moment she'd first set foot in her library.

She was going to ask him more, see what she could get out of him even doing her best to avoid questions of his mother, but he suddenly pulled away from her. It happened so quickly she found herself having to balance herself so she wouldn't fall over. He strode proudly back to the spinning wheel and took his seat like normal. She could ask him more, but she didn't want to prod any more than she already had. She picked up her book and took her usual seat by the fire, but her mind wouldn't focus on the words in front of her.

He'd never denied her assumption of a family which could only mean one thing: she'd guessed right. He didn't just have a mother, he'd had a family, a son, by the look of the clothing. Was that what he so desperately tried to forget at that wheel? The cause of his misery and compulsive collecting? No. There was more to it than that. There had to be! He'd given her an answer, one that he truly believed. He wasn't an easy man to love. It wasn't a lie, but that didn't mean he thought it was impossible. It had taken them a few months and more than a couple tests of patience and understanding for her, but she had come to like Rumpelstiltskin in the end.

The book dropped from her hands and fell to the floor with a bang at the realization and she dove to pick it up. She saw him glance her way at the sound and even though she might have seen a small trace of a smirk, but he never missed a squeak in the wheel as she righted herself.

She liked him!

It had taken her months to realize that he liked having her around but the fact that she liked him?! But it was true! She was happy here, and it wasn't just the place or the freedom, she liked her captor. He was…kind. If only to her, but it was there. He had kindness. Magic aside, he was good. He was a good man. She could feel it somewhere deep down. He wasn't an evil beast as she'd once believed, he might have been on the surface, but under all that there was a good man! And the heart that beat within him...there was something decent to it. Broken, but maybe not hopeless.

She swallowed her surprise and looked down at her book. He might not be an easy person to love, but it was possible. She didn't know what would come of this realization. Maybe nothing more than her own knowledge. But it made her smile as she curled her legs up in the chair and watched the fire burn. There they sat, Beauty and the Beast, two people suffering from the same problem in a different reflection.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did it again! I couldn't help myself! This time it wasn't even a deleted scene! When we saw this little bit of a deleted scene from the season 1 DVD I had to take it and make it into something wonderful. The script came out later and I know that now that it is we know where this scene really goes and what was supposed to happen but the lovely thing that A&E gave me from that was saying that what happens in the scripts isn't canon. Deleted scenes are considered canon. So just the little part of the mirror is canon and I did something with it that I hope you'll love just as much as I do!
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	31. Mutual Contentment

When the light poured in this morning, she woke smiling. It was earlier than usual, but she figured he would be up soon enough and if she served breakfast early then maybe she could get some reading in before her chores. She was so close to finishing her book, and if the sun were any indication, maybe it would be warm enough for her to read outside for a change! It was warm in the valley below, she could tell from the excess of crowds swarming the roads over the last few days, maybe today would be the day that warmth returned to the mountains as well. With that in mind, she rolled out of bed, fitted herself with her blue dress, the one she had to finally admit was her favorite, and made breakfast.

No. She was wrong. All it took was for her to stand by the wooden door in her small kitchen to feel the cool chilly breeze still blowing outside. It would be fine to go out later to collect the laundry, so long as she wore a shawl, but a lazy day outside reading a book was still not a possibility in the mountains. For all she knew maybe it never was. At these altitudes, maybe she was doomed to be cold forever. It was fine. There was plenty else to do today. Cleaning. As usual. Maybe she'd even finish another couple of rooms. But she couldn't deny the sad flutter that her heart gave. She'd longed for the spring sun even more than she thought she had.

With breakfast finished she went upstairs. It was still early, but she knew she'd find him. On the days she'd slept in his chair by the fire because it was too cold in her cell, she'd discovered that he spun in the early hours of the morning, just like he did after dinner. So it didn't surprise her to walk into their room and find him sitting there, looking stunned, and maybe a bit thrown off by her sudden appearance…she, unlike him, was never up this early.

"Someone is a bit anxious for work this morning!" he stated loudly in the voice that suggested he was teasing her. She felt her stomach give one of those strange and sudden flops that it sometimes did in his presence, but she shook her head and forgot about it, because she knew from experience that if she didn't she would spend all day wondering about why it happened.

Instead she shrugged her shoulders as she unloaded her tray of food onto their table and he got up from the wheel to join her. "The sun is out," she explained. "I was excited, I was hoping to read outside today, in the light," she sighed, hearing the disappointment she'd tried to hide from herself in her kitchen. Why did it come out so easily around him? "But it's still too cold."

"Not enough light in the tower?" he questioned. He was still joking with her, the tone was almost mocking, but she could hear his curiosity. She'd had enough conversations with him by now to know what he sounded like when he was genuinely interested in something that she'd said. Some days she wondered why, but she guessed that after being cooped up in this castle by himself for so long, the company and intrigue made sense. She suspected he was a lot lonelier than he liked to pretend, maybe even more than he thought. On some level, she suspected that he might have been okay if that baby had stayed around longer than he had.

So she ignored the comment and answered as honestly as she could, with her own touch of humor. "Certainly not as bright as it is in here," she pointed out with a smile, still happy that he hadn't put the curtains back up, that he'd let them stay open ever since she'd dared to try to open them weeks ago. She liked living in the light again, liked the fact that it didn't seem nearly as gloomy in this place as it once had. Soon, it was her hope that the outside would be just as warm and inviting as this room was. "Or outside," she finished.

She made her way over to the fireplace and gave a tug at her large chair, dragging it to her end of the table. Normally he did it for her, but only when she wasn't around so she couldn't see his kindness. This morning he hadn't been able to because she'd come upstairs early, so it had remained by the hearth, and that left her alone to-

Suddenly the chair disappeared right out of her hands in a whirl of purple smoke. Magic. She wheeled around, wondering where it had gone, where he'd put it, fearing that she might have finally taken a step too far and he'd wanted her to stop eating with him or...no. No, it was there. It was right where it belonged. On her side of the table. She turned back to glance at him. He'd never done that in front of her before! It broke their unspoken agreement that he wouldn't give her anything so she wouldn't have to take anything from him! So why...

"By the time you finish dragging that thing over there," he responded avoiding her eyes and looking down at his breakfast, "it'll be tea time and my floor will be scratched."

She bit back a laugh, but couldn't contain her blush and felt happy enough that he wasn't looking to see it. When he wanted to be, and worked at it, he was truly a kind person; he just didn't want anyone else to see it. "Thank you," she muttered quietly, not drawing any more attention to what he'd done than he could take. Now if only she could-

The sudden scratching of his chair against the floor made her jump and glance over the table at him. He was gone! His food barely touched, his chair pushed back, and he was…striding out of the room?! Something was wrong! It was in the way he walked! He never left breakfast this early or this abruptly. Fearing the worst, trying to figure out what had just happened she instinctually flew out of her own chair and followed after him. "Rumple! Rumpelstiltskin," she corrected, she hadn't used that name since the horrible day she'd been taken from him, and now it just felt strange on her lips. "Wait!" she called, "wait, where are you going? What's wrong?!"

"Nothing to worry about, Dearie!" he said in a dismissive voice waving a hand over his shoulder. But when he stopped and turned to look at her he gave a sigh that she couldn't quite identify. She couldn't help but stop in her tracks and even take a couple of steps away from him, from the sudden change of mood and personality. It was the way he was looking at her with such a serious expression. Almost as if he realized he'd been terribly rude and regretted it. It startled her and made her racing, confused mind come to a crashing quiet halt. What? What was happening? What was wrong?!

"I have an errand to run," he explained almost gently, his mask, the character he worked hard to craft for himself suddenly gone. He was the man that she talked with at tea time again, the one that had caught her when she fell, that liked to know what book she was reading, the one she'd spent the winter with. It was the one she wanted desperately to know more because she sensed they were becoming friends.

She swallowed, trying to find her thoughts again, to get her brain to work. An errand. He was leaving. It wasn't abnormal, he did it all the time, but he usually gave her some kind of advanced warning. The night before, the meal before, a couple of day's notice that she might be on her own for a few days while he went away to conduct business! He'd never gotten up in the middle of a meal and just left like this! Not to mention the last time he'd really left the castle like this he'd stolen a baby!

"When..." she shook her head trying to recover from the strange whiplash he'd given her. He never did something this impulsive to her. And he always let her know when he'd see her again. "When will you be back?" she asked breathless, feeling her mind begin to work again. The words sounded strange to her, just as strange as the name she'd used for him. She'd never had to ask him like this before; she'd never needed to…never wanted to like she did now. But it wasn't a terrible thing to know if he was going to be gone for a while she had to know! Didn't she?

"Later," he answered ambiguously. Then cast his eyes back into their room, as if he'd been distracted by something and back to her again. She wanted to look, to know what he'd seen, but he spoke again distracting her from the distraction. "Enjoy your books," he stated before disappearing in a haze of black smoke. Gone. Just like that. One minute they were enjoying their breakfast and the next he was…

Why did this shock her so much?! Why did she care so much?! He'd left dozens of times and only actually stolen a baby one of those times. After the fuss she put up last time she didn't expect him to do that again. And he wasn't obligated to eat with her at every meal. He _didn't_ eat with her at every meal! The times he vanished on other "errands" she ate alone. And, frankly, she was only the maid, the caretaker, she should be eating in the kitchen by herself every day! It shouldn't matter to her that he'd gone, that he'd disappeared. She shouldn't-

Her eyes widened when she stepped back into the room. She knew what the distraction had been, why he'd looked away from her, and it made her jaw drop. The chaise, the one she'd found and initially put in this room, the one he'd placed in her library. He'd moved it again. It was here, sitting perfectly in the sunlight. His dishes were suddenly missing from the table as if he'd never been there. And his chair?! It sat by the fireplace, her own, the one she kept at her end of the table still in place with her breakfast.

She beamed as she fought to hide her blush from no one but herself. Some day's she wondered if he knew how kind he was to her, how much he cared. She wondered if he surprised himself and had to cover it up just as she tried to cover up her joy at it. He had a soft spot for her, she could see it, but did he?! Did he see this strange friendship they were developing, the odd effect they had on each other? Or was it all in her head?

She didn't read outside that day, but she finished her breakfast, took her dishes down to the kitchen, considered cleaning and doing chores for the day, then realized it would be a waste. Setting that chaise out for her was an invitation to take the day off, to read in the light as she wished. And it wasn't as if he was going to be around to monitor her, not that he ever did anyway. She only had a few chapters left in her book. What was the harm in reading until she finished it?

So she read. She read until her skin felt warm, until it felt like she was glowing from it, until tea time came and went, until she finished her book and wished he was around for a conversation about it. She should go. She should clean one of the rooms upstairs, or dust this room, or examine some of the new artifacts he'd placed out recently. But he showed no sign of coming back anytime soon. If he'd planned on being back for tea time, he wouldn't have left her the chaise…if he'd removed his own chair for her to sit by then he wasn't coming back for dinner either. She sighed, collected her book, and came up with a compromise. She'd dust their room, this room, it would take all of ten minutes to clean the way she kept it, and then she could read in peace without feeling guilty for being idol all day. So she went upstairs to exchange her book for another and grabbed the duster from the closet she used, trying to ignore the silence in the castle. It was normal, completely normal, she should be used to it by now. But then...

She heard it when she came back down the stairs. It stopped her in her tracks, made her heart race as she panicked. Voices. Someone was in the castle…multiple people were in the castle. Who were they? How did they get passed the new defenses he'd put up?! What was she supposed to do? Were they here to steal something as Robin Hood had been? Where they going to kidnap her again?! What-

No. His voice. She listened closely. Making sure. Yes. It was him. He was back in their room…with guests? She'd never seen him bring guests into their room before! She should leave, turn around, let him handle his business, and go up to read in the library-

"Let's just say we buried the hatchet," a male voice said as she got closer.

She heard him giggle, not like the ones he gave her when he was trying to be funny, it was crazed almost. She hadn't heard a giggle like that since…since they'd been trying to find Robin Hood. Her stomach turned. "Yes, but why not in your skull?!"

Suddenly she found herself hurrying down the stairs. No. He was threatening someone! Without thinking, or coming up with a plan, or even knowing why she was about to throw herself into another problem like this again she set her book on the table and walked in on them. She'd stopped him from harming Robin Hood, she'd saved her village, and the baby Gideon; could she save this man? And woman!

"Oh!" she smiled, looking at him, judging his stance, his gaze, everything! No. He talked threateningly again, but he didn't look it. At least not anymore, the demeanor had vanished the moment she walked into the room. In fact, he took a few steps back as he seemed to collect himself from her sudden interruption. He was looking at her again. And so long as he was, he didn't seem threatening in the least. He'd calmed down, and at his look, she was shocked to find that the tight grip she had on her feather dust had somehow loosened without her permission.

"Rumpelstiltskin you're, you're back!" she stuttered. She'd successfully distracted him, now she needed to come up with a reason for why she'd done it, for walking in on business…even if it wasn't in his tower. "Do you, uh, do you need anything?"

"Belle!" she glanced over at the blonde haired woman who was standing there, looking at her with a stunned expression. She knew her name? No one visiting here had known her name before! Did she know who she was? Where she was from? Was she from her land? No. No, she'd only heard a word, but it was enough to know she had a different accent.

"So…" she looked her over again, racking her brain trying to come up with a name or a place, or anything to suggest where she'd met the woman before! But she couldn't. "Do we know each other?" she questioned finally, giving up.

"Oh…sorry…no," the girl stuttered awkwardly as she suddenly avoided her gaze. "Um…Mr…Rumple…The Dark One, um, told me about you." The words stunned her, they sounded strange and not just because she'd scrambled to get them out. Rumpelstiltskin had spoken of her? Really? The look on his face, the one of complete and utter bewilderment made her smile. It didn't sound like something he would do, but he looked as though he was guilty, or trying to cover something up.

"Did he?" she questioned, amused at the thought. What on earth would he say about her? Why would he mention her? Was it in passing? As he had that girl before the winter arrived? When he'd said she was "promising"? Or was it more? What more could it be?

"No!" he denied still looking completely confused. What was happening? Who were these people? Why were they in their room? Had he spoken about her or not? What had he said? "Go away and read a book, or whatever it is you like to do," he said suddenly, shaking his hands and shooing her away. She fought to roll her eyes at him. "Read a book or whatever it is you like to do"? He was different than when he'd left her, different around these people than he was when they were the only two people in the castle. His mask was back on, he was ready to do business, and why they were in their room was irrelevant. He wouldn't answer her questions even if she could work up the nerve to ask them!

"Come back and clean later," he ordered, but without any kind of real authority.

"You could ask nicely," she pointed out, without spite.

"I could also turn you into a toad!" he stated.

She smiled as he pointed at her, then turned to leave. The girl sighed something she couldn't make out as she left and he yelled at her, shouting "what!" She merely shook her head as she collected her book off the table, deciding to go upstairs and clean now that he was back. The comment had sounded like a threat, and she was sure that he meant it to sound threatening for their guests, his guests, but she knew him better than that. His tone was teasing again and the way he looked at her! It wasn't with anger or frustration; it was almost friendly as if they joked with each other like this all the time…then again, they did, or they were beginning to at least.

She beamed as she made her way up the stairs, suddenly feeling a strange lightness in her step. Things were back to normal. She didn't mind when he was gone, but she had to admit, she liked it better when he was around, when there was life in the castle. And some days, the days they spoke over tea and joked with each other as if it was the most natural thing in the world, she wondered if maybe he liked it better when she was around too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Obviously this scene is new. I stayed up way late into the night to get this to you as fast as I could and I cannot even begin to tell you how happy I am it was only one scene and one small little interaction that was easily explained away and required very little editing to include in the rest of the series. I placed this scene here because...well...for one it's quite obviously spring and the curtains were open so it had to come after the curtain incident. But I also placed it here because I felt as though their banter had changed. True they hadn't been teasing each other alone in the castle for quite some time but but around others I figured he wouldn't hesitate to put distance between the two of them. And even with the teasing...like I said, the banter was different. It was a more friendly, I'm not scared of you, you know that I'm not going to do anything to you, kind of banter. At least in my opinion. It seemed to fit well here and I hope that you'll agree!
> 
> Thank you Heart_of_a_oncer for your amazing comments on the last chapter! Yay! I'm glad that you are enjoying the story! Peace and Happy Reading!


	32. The Difference Between Then and Now

After the arrival of their strange visitors, not to mention the departure of the snow and spring for everyone who didn't live on a mountain, things seemed strange between the two of them. For whatever reason after the couple he'd been dealing with in their room left he'd been busy, so busy that he'd forgotten to move the chaise back up to her library, and done most of his work there at the dining room table, coming up with the excuse that a potion had backfired and the tower smelled too bad to work in. She knew that it was a lie. She'd cleaned up there only that morning, but she let him think that she believed him and sat there and read all afternoon, watching him as he prepared...whatever he'd been working on. The honest truth was that she enjoyed the company but him...she wasn't sure what was wrong with him. He wanted to be in the same room as her, but from the corner of her eye she could see him cast her curious almost fearful glances before turning back to his work just before she could meet his eyes. But beyond those looks he didn't seem to mind that she was there. In fact, he only kicked her out once, a couple of days later, stating that business would be arriving soon and she didn't need to be there for it.

And after that "business" things had finally really gone back to normal. Or at least the normal they were accustomed to before winter had trapped the two of them up here together. The glances stopped, he moved his work back up to his tower again, he began joking and teasing with her once more, and unfortunately "business" had returned to the castle once spring had. He began making more trips than he had before, possibly to out run the waves of people that came knocking on the door for him. Now he was gone two, sometimes three, times a week. Never for very long, he always stopped by for a day or so between, but even when he was here everyone seemed to know about it and once more began to come to the castle door seeking easy answers to their difficult problems. No matter what she tried she just couldn't seem to make it all go away for him.

And now he was gone again. He had been for the last two days and so long as what he'd told her before he left was true he wouldn't be back until tomorrow morning, after breakfast. His return was hours away and it would be time for dinner soon enough. When she arrived in her kitchen this evening to see what she had to eat her heart fell. Beef. Why was it always beef?! Well, perhaps "always" was a bit of an exaggeration. They'd had other things since she'd arrived here, but most of the time when she came down to the kitchen to begin dinner each night, the meat that she found waiting for her was almost always beef. At first she hadn't minded. There were a lot of things to do with beef and since she'd only just been learning to cook it had given her some wonderful practice! But now?!

She was sure she'd made just about everything that she could possibly make with beef! What she wouldn't give now for chicken. Or pork. Or Duck. Or…fish! Paging through one of the books of recipes she found up in her library she stumbled over the section on fish that she'd always avoided because it simply looked too difficult when she'd just started out. Now, she was pretty sure she could cook fish…if only she had fish.

She cast a glance over at the beef sitting there for her on the table and sighed. Magic. Truth be told she had no idea where the food that she used each day came from, only that it just seemed to appear when it was time for a meal, but considering where she was and who she lived with, in her mind it had to be magic. After all, now that spring seemed to have finally broken, everywhere but the castle, and he was gone again it certainly wasn't him delivering food to her all the time. Besides, the idea of the Dark One going to a market place and standing in line for potatoes and fish…it made her chuckle.

"My, my, my I never knew my presence could reduce you to bouts of laughter!"

The sound of his voice made her jump away from the table as the smile vanished from her face. "Rumpelstiltskin!" she exclaimed, finding him there in the doorway of her kitchen, looking over at her with a gaze that made her stomach knot. "I uh…I didn't know you were back!" she explained. And why would she? He'd told her not to expect him until tomorrow morning.

"Well it is my castle!" he scoffed at her playfully, with a small smirk of a smile. "I'm sorry to disappoint, but I had to return eventually."

She opened her mouth, but quickly glanced away and blushed when she realized what she'd about to say. It wasn't that she was disappointed that he'd returned early, in fact it was quite the opposite. She'd gotten so used to having him around during the winter months that now that he was out again…the castle was too quiet without him and she missed having someone to talk to. "I'm just surprised," she informed him gently. "I wasn't expecting you until tomorrow and I thought I'd be dining by myself tonight, but…" dare she say that she was happy that she wasn't going to dine alone? Or was that too much for now? Too much. If she got too close he might pull away and then she'd be spending weeks alone instead of days.

"Your trip!" she exclaimed, quickly changing the subject. "Tell me about your trip! Did it go well? Where did you go? Why are you back early?"

He sighed as he sauntered into her space. "So many, many questions," he piqued as she set water to boil for tea. "Why so curious?"

Wasn't that obvious by now? "Because while you've been out seeing the world I've been holed up here alone for the last two days!" she reminded him, her voice teasing. "And you said that you'd be gone longer, if your back early I...I only wonder if that means things went well."

"Some unforeseen circumstances cut my trip short," he explained almost sadly. She felt a lump in her throat as she watched him look at what was spread out over her table. He'd answered her. With a serious voice! That always surprised her when it happened, when she suspected they were actually having a real conversation! Not about books or something trivial but about him or her. That was a rarity.

"Well, did you find what you were after?" she asked as the kettle began to whistle behind her.

"Not today," he whispered so softly that she could only just barely hear his disappointment in himself. She wanted to know more. She wanted to know where he'd gone, what he'd been looking for, why he hadn't gotten it, and what had kept him from returning when he should have! But she didn't. Instead she made herself busy fetching something familiar and soothing for him, the chipped cup that he liked so much, the sugar, the cream, the tea. If she couldn't have dinner ready for him on time tonight at least she could give him tea for a moment...and maybe a bit of conversation.

"But!" he piqued suddenly as she poured the warm water for them, "on my way back, I was fortunate to come across an old woman selling trinkets out of the back of a wagon and I happened to pick up a treasure of a different nature." As she watched him offer his had to her, there was a puff of purple smoke before a tattered hardcover book. She couldn't help it, her jaw dropped and she set the kettle down with a loud clunk.

"For me?" she clarified taking it from him before he could answer.

"For whatever trouble my early arrival caused you," he muttered as she looked it over. He'd thought of her? Really?! He'd thought of her while he was away and brought her something back! It was…it just…it just didn't seem like him to do something like that…this!

"Don't get too excited," he commented as she opened the book to find a title and author while he reached over and began to continue fixing their tea where she'd left off. "It's not the author you asked me to look for. It's from our own realm. I'm afraid this time you'll have to settle for a different sort of tale!"

"It's wonderful!" she commented with a blush and a smile she didn't even try to hide. She honestly wasn't sure had possessed him to do something like this! If it was guilt or if he really did think back on her when he was out having his own adventures. For all she knew it wasn't even true and he'd just conjured a book for her now! But what did that mean? That he felt bad for leaving her alone as often as he did? That certain things like books reminded him of her? She just couldn't tell! But she knew that the gift made her feel…something. Fresh? New? Special? Yes. That was it. Special. While everyone was making deals to get the slightest thing from him he was giving her gifts of libraries and books. It made her feel far more special than a caretaker probably should, not to mention happy. "Thank you," she smiled at him, holding it tight to her chest.

"It's no matter," he commented waving his hand in the air as if it were nothing, but she didn't care. No matter what he thought of it, it did mean something! Exactly what it meant she wasn't sure, but she knew that it did! It meant things were different between them. From months ago, before winter had struck, when he'd evaded her questions and pushed her away to a friendly conversation and the knowledge that while he was away she'd been on his mind...just as he'd been on hers. It was nice to know. "But don't get too used to it dearie!" he quickly snapped pushing a cup of tea toward her. "This was simply a coincidence I saw fit to take advantage of. You get a new book to read and I get the peace and quiet that comes from you reading a new book, after you're finished with whatever it is you're working on now of course," he added quickly motioning to what she'd set aside on the table when he'd first returned.

"Oh, no!" she corrected reaching for it and pulling it closer so that he could see. "I was just trying to figure out what to make for dinner. I think that I've made everything in this book!"

"An accomplishment for someone who'd never set foot in a kitchen before," he commented beside her. "Surely you must have your favorites."

"Of course I do but…why is it always beef?!" she questioned casting him a frustrated glance.

"I happen to like beef," he explained sounding almost offended at her accusation only…it wasn't an accusation. At least she hadn't meant it to be. They were having a conversation and she liked it. She wanted to continue having a conversation with him, _this_ easy mindless conversation! She didn't want to return to the time that they couldn't speak without arguing with each other.

"Everyone does," she corrected quickly. "But I feel like we've had nothing but beef for the last few weeks! I'm ready for chicken or to try cooking fish."

"You don't do the shopping," he argued back.

"No…but...but I could…perhaps if someone ever cared to accompany me to the village at the bottom of the mountain I could find us something besides beef. Something we'll both like to try!"

"Are you asking to leave?"

"Never," she spat. Leaving wasn't an option. She'd promised to serve him forever and she was going to keep her promise! Her home depended on it and besides, when she was honest with herself, she liked her work as a caretaker. It was fulfilling in a way that marrying Gaston and bearing his children would never have been. Although, she supposed she was asking for a certain type of leaving. "At least not the kind of leaving you are thinking of."

"Then tell me, what other type of leaving do you have on your mind?" She shouldn't have been shocked by his curiosity but she was. Because this was the first time his curiosity hadn't come with a nasty sneer or a funny voice attached to it. He wasn't just curious because he wanted to know what was in her head, it was a different type of curious, one she wasn't sure she could put words to, that made her think that if she asked, he just might just trust her enough to allow her a certain freedom. It was a curiosity that suggested if he could provide her with what she wanted, then he wanted to do it. So...would he?

"A weekly trip to the village down the road, to their market so I can plan meals and buy the food myself from now on," she suggested.

"That village is at the bottom of the mountain, what you are purposing is a day's trip, on your own, down a mountain, and through a thick wood where the path is nearly impossible to follow on several occasions. It's out of the question!" he burst out suddenly. "Besides, what would I reap from the benefit of a deal like this in the end but a day of solitude wondering if my maid will ever return?!" On that he picked up the cup of tea that he had for himself and backed away from the table, preparing to leave, just like he always ran out of the room when things were too tense for him, although she didn't know why they would be now! If she wanted to continue this conversation she had to think, quickly. What would he get out of it?!

"You could come with me!" she called after him before he left the room. Her words caught him, made him pause in the doorway, but weren't enough to make him turn around and look at her. "I never said I wanted to go alone," she went on, "you could go with me, that way you won't have to worry or be in the castle by yourself. And you won't have to make sure that I have food all the time. It'll make things easier on you!"

For a moment she dared to be excited. He didn't spit a "no" out of his mouth as quickly as she thought he would and appeared to be considering it in his mind. For just one brief second she let herself think that when he finally turned around he was going to agree to her proposal and let her venture off into-

"It's far easier for me to ensure you have food than to take the time to escort you to the village. The answer is 'no'," and without any other explanation he quickly excused himself from the kitchen, leaving her to figure out what to do once more with beef.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to another new chapter, or should I say a new section. Don't remember this part? It's made up, but it was placed here to accommodate something that is canon but not on the show. Most of us are aware that Once Upon a Time has comics that come out once in a blue moon. Out of the Past featured four short stories in comic form and one of them "Truth and Daggers" featured Rumple and Belle, believe it or not more Belle than Rumple even. It was a good story, but complicated because on the surface it appeared to contradict some other points on the show. Pandora's Box for one was easy to deal with, but a second one that it dealt with was Belle being allowed to go to the village. In the comic she does go to the village to do the shopping on her own but...::facepalm:: if she was able to go to the village on her own before then at the end of skin deep why would Belle be so surprised that he was letting her go there?! Well...I dealt with that to. In the end the comic only needed about 6 chapters but I had to add two more to really set it up and those two chapters are what you are seeing here and in the next chapter.
> 
> Thank you to Heart_of_a_oncer for your beautiful and kind comments on the last chapter. I'm excited for all of ya'll to get to read these next few chapters and I hope you'll enjoy them and feel like they fit in place too. I won't lie, with each new addition it's getting harder to fit everything into Moments, but these next few chapters were different because they allow us to see a bit of their relationship that we really haven't seen on the show before. It's the lighter side of their relationship. We've seen plenty of the beginning and brief glimpses of the middle but not a whole lot of what comes between the middle and the end. This is a good look into them when things are going well for them, when they've become accustomed to one another and when maybe even know that they are starting to feel something more for each other. I won't say it's love, but I think "more" probably describes it pretty accurately. Peace and Happy Reading!


	33. Limited Freedom

A step forward with him was always a risk. Would it always be a step forward, ground gained? Or could it be a step back? Could ground be lost? Her inquiry for going down to the village to do her own shopping had been a spur of the moment request, one that she'd barely thought of before making it and one that haunted her in the days to come. For two reasons mostly. The first was simple enough, she had no idea how much she really wanted to go until she'd asked and he'd denied her request. The second was because after she'd asked he'd pulled away from her again.

They'd gotten so close to something over these past few months! So close to being comfortable around each other that sometimes she forgot that they weren't supposed to be as comfortable as they were. They weren't friends, or family. They were master and servant! But she liked talking to him, she liked the companionship they shared even in silence, and it's absence in the wake of her suggestion clung to her like a smudge of black ink on her skin fading slowly over time. They hadn't truly spoken to one another for a week now. He hadn't left since he'd returned to the castle, though she could see he was restless and wanted to do it. He seemed guilty almost. Like he knew that she was lonely when he left and felt compelled to stay there in the castle but if he refused to be in the same room with her for more than a few minutes, or refused to speak with her when they were together what good was his being here?! He may as well leave! Though…discomfort was better than loneliness…wasn't it? Today she honestly wasn't sure.

He'd taken refuge over the last few days in his tower and she'd done the same, finishing her chores and going up into her library to organize her books. She'd read the one that he'd brought her. Twice! It was wonderful and she was aching for him to ask her about it, to ask her if she liked it so that she could tell him that she loved it and it had been a wonderful surprise and gift. Yet day after day no matter how many times they encountered each other, no matter how many times she carried it from room to room so he'd spot it, no matter that she even brought it to tea twice, he never took the bait. It seemed their days of Cat and Mouse were over and she surrendered herself to the library this morning to shift the books around and add it to her collection…but that village! The very thing that had started all of this! Why did it have to be so easy to spot from her windows? Why did it have to be so tempting? And why did a spring day in the village look so much more appealing there than it did on the castle grounds?

Curiosity called her the moment she set foot in her tower, before she could even make it to the shelves and she found herself staring out the window, book clutched in her hand at the village. Down there it was warm enough for children to play outside, to leave their cloaks behind, to read a book in the garden! The people looked like ants from the top of the mountain but she had plenty of experience looking out over villages from her castle's bedroom window to identify peddlers carts, no doubt selling flowers, neatly lined dirt streets with houses and stables pressed up against them, and there, just at the entrance, the thing that had gotten them into so much trouble, her coveted market.

Oh things were better since she'd raised her complaint that night. They'd had a variety of things to eat this week, chicken, turkey, pork, even salmon that he'd actually complimented her on. Not once had beef appeared. It was nice. It meant a lot to her and it should have solved all their problems, it was what she knew he was hoping would solve their problems each night they sat down to dinner together and he cast her hopeful glances across the table. But it just wasn't as perfect as she'd have liked. The freedom to plan meals for them, to go to the market and fetch food, to buy it herself! It was a freedom she'd never had before, here or in her fathers castle, and now…now that she'd thought about it she desperately wanted to try it!

But he was stubborn and set in his ways. Magic was easier and that was that as far as he was concerned. She would return. She knew that she would because she had a deal to uphold. But he didn't appear to understand that was enough to keep her here with him and after these last few months that reality made her want to cry more than being denied her request. How could he not know her well enough by now to know that she'd return? How could he think that she would run away?

She let out a sigh as she looked around the little village, preparing herself to shake off her loss and get back to work, but just then she heard a creak that she knew belonged to the top step of her staircase and glanced behind her to find him there, eyeing her at the top of the staircase.

"Rumpelstiltskin!" she exclaimed quickly backing away from the window. "What uh…what, what can I do for you?" she stuttered, shocked to see him standing before her. Coming into her tower…that was new. It was a blatant attempt to locate her and that was out of the ordinary for him on their good days but incomprehensible when they were in the middle of…what was this exactly? A fight? A stalemate? Distance?

"Daydreaming when there are chores to be done?" he questioned. She was sure he meant it to sound sinister and chastising, just like the way they teased each other all the time, but he didn't manage. His voice was low, almost too low to hear him! It made him sound shy and nervous, but the thought of Rumpelstiltskin shy…no, somehow it didn't shock her like she thought it was. He was a human being with feelings and emotions. He was capable of being shy. But why he would be shy around her all of the sudden...that was the true question.

"I'm about to begin my chores," she answered proudly. "I had a bit of time and I was just looking for a place to put my new book."

"Ah…you've finished it already then?" he questioned.

She managed a smile at his curiosity, hoping that it had finally gotten the better of him and they could have their conversation now! "Twice," she answered with a nod. "It's not difficult when there is very little to do," she added, but instantly regretted the words, or at least the way she'd said them, because they sounded like they were digging up their previous disagreement even to her! And she certainly didn't want that. "Was…was there something else you needed or…or wanted?"

"No, well-yes…I had hoped…" he seemed awkward as he shifted his weight and climbed the rest of the stairs, a rare occurrence for The Dark One, but once he was finally to the top of the tower, in the same room with her she caught of flash of something small in his fingers. Something silver, metal perhaps, that he was fiddling with in his hand. She was curious but she didn't want to ask about it. If he'd brought her up here, maybe it was something he planned on-

"Perhaps you could explain to me what it is you find so fascinating about the valley village that warrants your sudden interest in paying it a visit!" he finally spat out in an irritated sort of way, as if he was upset with himself for being so curious about her curiosity. She fought to hide a smile. In this game of cat and mouse that they played, it was ironic that curiosity had finally killed the cat. "I can assure you I've never found anything special about it. It's exactly the same as the rest of them. You see one small village you've seen them all."

"Well maybe that's just the thing," she commented sadly taking a seat in her chair by the fire, "I've never seen one. In my father's palace everything was done for me. Laundry, shopping, cooking, I never got to experience any of it until you brought me here! Now that I have…I just think it would be nice to go and pick up my own potatoes or fish for once! See what a market is like."

"You're not missing much."

"But I am missing something," she pointed out sadly.

His face seemed to fall with the comment, only for a brief second before he let out an exasperated sigh and moved closer to her, all the while that…thing tapped away in his nervous fingers. "I just don't understand! For all the grand adventures you read, why would a prisoner dream of a simple village to escape to when they could go anywhere in the realm?! There are far more interesting places to hide in. It's very confusing!"

And it was absolutely fascinating to see him so perplexed over something that he couldn't understand in her head. It was eye opening, truly it was, to see him so nervous and put off at his own interpretation of what she had asked of him. He made good points. If she was looking for freedom, she could have and probably should have dreamed bigger, thought of far off lands with great cities that she could hide away from him in happily.  _If_  she was looking for freedom.

"I'm no prisoner. Prisoners are held against their will. I came with you willingly and I'm not looking to escape now," she assured him gently. "I'm not looking to leave or run away or even get kidnapped again. I'm just looking to...take care of the castle for you! To do my job! To plan meals, to go shopping, everything that a normal caretaker might do!"

He didn't look happy or relieved at her pronouncement. He looked irritated and suspicious, cunning almost. As if he'd just lost the battle but he was still trying to come up with ways to win again. "And the temptation to send a message to your family? Or to meet a handsome young knight to come in the dark of the night and rid the world of your beastly captor?!" he finally inquired with a flourish of his hands and silly accent that made him roll his "r".

In all honesty she'd never even considered doing something like that in the village, but the fact that he was worried that she had, why did it make her giddy to think he feared she'd leave him for good? "I have never had nor do I imagine I ever will have an interest in befriending a knight," she smiled. "And as for my family…I already told you. I've never been to a village before. I don't know how to send a message to them and I wouldn't even if I could. Fish, potatoes, beets, some flour for a cake, all I want is to be able to sit down once a week and plan meals out so that I don't have to waste time thinking of something new every day that matches the ingredients your magic gives me! It'll save us both time and energy."

Or at least she hoped it would. It would take both time and energy to walk to the market and back once a week, but she hoped that the feeling of being out among others, of walking into the warm valley before returning to a cold lonely castle might refresh her rather than drain her. And him…he used magic so flawlessly she didn't know if he'd notice the energy he saved making sure they were constantly fed. But it was worth a try.

Finally after a few moments of silent glaring he let out another exasperated sigh and waved his hand at her. "Very well." The cloud of purple smoke was familiar to her these days, the way he dressed her or sent her places was becoming a sensation she'd rather not recognize but this time…it had it's purpose. When the smog cleared and she glanced down at herself her cloak was hanging over her shoulders as if she'd already sat down with it on.

On instinct she stood up and looked down at it, trying to figure out why he'd chosen to place it on her body before he sauntered over to her. "This doesn't mean you get to visit the town," he pointed out quickly. "The market is at the entrance, inviting for wayward travelers that don't wish to go out of their way to spend a bit of their gold. Getting there and returning will take most of the day from here, it may seem like time to run before I'd notice you were gone but this fastener…" he held the intricate metal design up for her to see. It was familiar, she'd seen it before. It was the one he'd pointed out to her when they'd gone after Robin Hood, the one that he said he could find her with all too easily if she ever decided to try to slip away from him. If it weren't for her village she might have then, but now- "It has a tracking spell on it," he reminded her, assuming she'd forgotten, "whenever you leave the premises with this cloak on, you'll wear this clasp and it won't matter where you go…I shall know about it!" he declared proudly. "Once a week, to the market and no further, then back again by nightfall. I'll collect the fastener for safe keeping when you've returned tonight. And if you need anything,  _anything_ , while your away, simply say my name three times. I'll find you."

She felt her jaw drop open at his declaration. He was letting her go? Really?! He was letting her leave today?! No, he wasn't freeing her exactly but she hadn't been looking for her freedom, she'd been looking for…this! Her emotions got the better of her and before she could tell herself to stay away and not overwhelm him she found her arms tight around his neck as her smile beamed ear to ear. This was better than freedom. This was exactly what she needed! And this brief embrace was so far beyond what he needed it was almost hysterical. He didn't tense like he did when she'd hugged him after he'd let Robin Hood go, but he didn't immediately push her away and separate them like he did after he'd caught her weeks ago either. He just stayed still and kept his hands at his side. He looked her over timidly as she pulled away from him and smiled, as if making sure her smile and reaction were genuine, but how could they not be?! She felt so happy. "I have to go make a list," she breathed, "I have to leave quickly so I can be back before sundown. Oh! Money?"

He smiled wickedly at her, amused by the comment. "My name will suffice to get you anything you need."

She beamed and shook her head at the comment. Right. Of course he had some kind of agreement with the people in the market. Surely, he must not go there but the food he got had to come from somewhere! They hadn't been eating magic all this time! Her stomach was in knots, her cheeks hurt from smiling so much as she began going over recipes and ingredients that she wanted to buy, all the while struggling to loosen the clasp at her throat didn't sully her mood or wipe the smile from her face…until she found her fingers replaced by his own. The touch caught her off guard, the same way she imagined her hugs and touches did for him. Her smile vanished and every rambling thought she had in her head died away as she dropped her hands to let him work the clasp for her and couldn't quite figure out why something as simple as him reaching up to rid her of the cloak had made her so nervous suddenly…or why his gaze on her was suddenly concentrated and serious and made her want to run off and brush her hair.

There was silence between them. It was too quiet. She should say something. Her heart was hammering and she felt like if she didn't soon he'd look up at her and not the fussy fastener and see that something was happening and take back his offer. But…what was there to say?! She couldn't even be sure what was happening or what had caught her so off guard! Was it just the fact that he never touched her and she hadn't expected...this? But what was she supposed to say about this exactly?!

"Thank you, by the way," she muttered. That was a good place to begin. But for what? There was so much to thank him for! "For my book," she finally settled as he finished the work on her cloak and dropped his hands away. "I loved it and…it really was a wonderful surprise. Thank you!" and without leaving him room to argue, she quickly made her way out of the tower to make plans for today's unexpected adventure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay don't panic! This wasn't my idea this is the idea of the comic and like I said I'm just setting it up. I promise you by the end of this little section it will all make sense and we will take her away from the town. I will fix it. But first I have to work with it. Just a little bit of trust and patience I promise I can do it, this isn't even the hardest thing I've had to figure out for this series! We'll make it. Just hang in there with me Rumbellers and I'll do my best to smooth out this bumpy ride!
> 
> Thank you to Heart_of_a_oncer for your comments on the last chapter! I'm glad you like the adaption of the comic. I just hope it's just as good as the real thing for you. Peace and Happy Reading!


	34. Unhappy Endings

He'd been missing all day. For the first time since she'd been in the castle, she hadn't seen him once today, not even in passing. Sure, there were always great chunks of time when she wouldn't see him, especially the last few days when he left the castle for "business" and now that she left once a week for the market. It was normal. But she always reminded him the night before she was going to the market, just in case he needed or wanted anything specific and he was always around to see her off and greet her again at dinner. And when he went away he was always very good about informing her before he left on long or short journeys, especially if he wasn't going to be there when she woke up. He never gave her specifics, but he always let her know if he wouldn't be there for a meal.

When he hadn't shown up for breakfast, she'd shrugged it off, assumed that he'd lost track of the time. Punctual as he was she supposed that it wasn't unheard of for something to come up and he'd have to leave quickly to take care of it, or someone would visit, and he wouldn't be able to warn her that he'd miss breakfast. After all, she'd been late to a good number of meals and sometimes skipped breakfast all together as she'd grown up. Missing one meal was nothing to be concerned over, so she didn't worry about it. She'd put the incidents and breakfast out of her mind and resumed her usual cleaning, making only a short detour toward the tower where his workspace was. At the bottom of the stairs she'd strained her ears, but she could have sworn that she'd heard movement, the shuffling of his feet, the small pound and clunk of items being set on a table, even the flutter of pages turning as he leafed through a book. Work then. She was certain. Sometimes he got caught up in it just as she did the cleaning. Her curiosity was wasted. Everything was fine.

She'd done her chores for the day and finished up early enough to make a trip outside. With spring finally arriving on the mountain she'd found a beautiful and magnificent rose bush just outside the door that led to her kitchen. She'd noticed them yesterday before tea, and when she carried the tray up to the table, he'd questioned her about the grin she bore. With a blush, she'd confessed that they were her favorite. But instead of laughing at her or brushing it off he admitted that he liked them as well, though he enjoyed them for a different reason: they were useful for spells and potions. Apparently, their petals, thorns, and stems were a common ingredient he used. Today, she was determined to convince him that they weren't just a handy tool to use in his work; they were beautiful to look at as well.

So before tea, she snipped a bunch of the healthy ones free from their vines and gathered them together into the vase that he kept in the entrance hall. The new flowers were a welcomed sight. They lightened the room, gave it a bit of color, and perfumed the air. But, in case he wasn't as convinced of their enchantment as she was, she'd set aside a small basket just for his brand of magic, so they'd both have something to be thankful for. She'd planned to hand them over when he came down for tea and discuss the possibility of her working on the gardens out back now that the weather had changed…but he never showed.

Once again he was absent from one of the few moments that they shared together in the day. She couldn't remember the last time he'd missed tea, the last time that chipped cup had gone unused. In the morning, despite the fact that she knew he never forgot anything, she could easily chalk his disappearance up to chance. But to miss tea as well?! What could have caused that?! She was certain there wasn't anyone besides the two of them in the castle, and she was certain that he was still in the castle. She'd heard him and if he were going to leave, then he would have said something. Wouldn't he? Could she have been wrong? She rose from the chair by the fire, left the cold tea on the corner where she'd placed it, and crept back up the stairs, through the halls, until she arrived at the base of the tower again. Once again, she listened. Yes, he was there. She could hear the squeak of yet another of his spinning wheels, but no voices.

She walked away from the tower and left him to…whatever was keeping him so busy. She should have gone downstairs, and she should have cleaned up the tea, but she didn't. Instead, she found herself wandering down the hall and climbing the stairs to her library. The fire flared to life as she entered, like usual, and she picked up the book that she'd been reading as it lay on the table, but couldn't read. Her eyes kept glancing over to the window, the one that looked over into his tower, his magical domain. But she couldn't see him from where she sat. He was alone? He was skipping breakfast? And tea?! Spinning in his tower? It was the strangest thing. He'd never missed tea. And over the last few days, she'd begun to think that it wasn't just her that looked forward to their friendly exchanges over the one small break they got, but that he did as well. If he was home why wouldn't he come down?

She sighed as she leaned her head back against the couch and stared at the coned ceiling. What could she do? _Should_ she do something? It wasn't like him, but was it really her business as to why he hadn't come to tea? Was his absence really her concern? No. Probably not. She was curious of course. And she was convinced that they might have been on their way to becoming friends, but if he'd wanted to talk to her he would have come to tea. Better yet, she'd been sitting in her library since then, he knew where to find her if he needed to, he'd proved that over the winter months. She shouldn't be concerned, shouldn't think anything of it! So why couldn't she get her mind off of it? Why did her instincts tell her it wasn't nothing?

With that she pushed herself out of the comfy couch and made her way back downstairs, to make dinner without a thought. He had to eat sometime, didn't he? He'd skipped breakfast, surely he'd be hungry enough to come down to dinner! Unless…was it her? Had she done something? Had she done something that upset him? She couldn't think of anything. He'd seemed fine when he'd silently dismissed himself for bed yesterday. She shook her head as she loaded the china onto her tray. She could ask, if he didn't like something she'd done or was upset with her, she'd be able to tell, and she wasn't afraid to ask him about it if there was something wrong.

But when she made her way into the great room she found that her chair was still at the fireplace, the basket of roses she'd left by his seat were untouched...and he still wasn't there. This time she couldn't help it, she was worried.

Without giving the panicking thoughts time to erupt in her head, she exchanged the tray for the basket of roses and hurried back up to his tower. There was only one way to set her mind at ease. She listened, but this time, she couldn't hear anything. No shuffling. No voices. No squeaking. Nothing. Maybe he really had been gone all day? Maybe she really had just been hearing things. She should go back downstairs, eat her dinner in silence, and ask him about it tomorrow. But that panicked feeling returned and she found herself wanting to know for sure that everything was okay.

Quietly, she tip-toed up the stairs. It was simple. If he wasn't there she'd leave the roses for him and go back to dinner. If he was busy she'd leave and go back to dinner. She could wonder why he'd been avoiding her all day later. For now she just wanted to make sure her mind wasn't playing tricks on her.

She peered around the space at the top of the stairs and for a moment she thought that she was wrong, that he wasn't there. Candles lit the room, somehow still making the space dark and gloomy, but she didn't see him. Not until he moved. He'd been there the entire time, he'd simply been too still for her to notice. She jumped slightly, hoping that he didn't think it was his appearance that caught her off guard, just his presence.

"I, I, I'm sorry," she stuttered awkwardly. She hadn't planned on being seen, "I didn't know you were in here," she explained honestly with a relieved sigh.

"Go away," he commanded moving around the table he'd been standing by. It was an order, true, but a half-hearted one. And it had been laced with something she hadn't detected before. Sadness? Hurt? Something had upset him? Was it her? His bluntness...it was shocking! It hurt.

She glanced down at the basket of flowers she'd been carrying and offered a smile he couldn't see. She should go, as he'd requested, as she'd planned. Whatever it was she could ask about later, when he didn't sound so utterly...depressed. But why did the idea of leaving now make her feel not just wrong but sad.

"I'll, uh, I'll just put these flowers down," she explained, making her way into the space and setting them on his work table.

"Go away!" he insisted firmly, her silent offering going unrecognized. She paused for a moment, caught off guard by his hiss. He hadn't been harsh toward her like that for months. Not since Gideon and it was a far cry from the teasing they usually offered one another, not to mention the man that brought her back gifts from his adventures and agreed to let her go to town. She glanced at him again, worried that maybe it was something she'd done to cause him to shrink from her. Had the curtains been too much? The flowers? The shared meals? Her intrusion the other day? What was the tipping point? But then she took in his form, reading his body language.

His shoulders were slumped forward, in a defeated posture. He was wearing his mask, the one that came and went recently, but his eyes were giving him away. He had that look again. The one he wore when she caught him staring into the fire places, his mind wandering to some far off thought or time. The look he'd worn for days after she'd questioned him about what happened to his family. _"I'm a difficult man to love"_ he'd answered honestly. Or at least what he'd believed to be the truth. She had her doubts about that, especially when he wore looks like the one on his face now. He was upset. It was like that black cloud he'd had around him in the days leading up to the theft of baby Gideon. Something had happened to cause that and she was certain that something had happened to cause this as well. It wasn't something she'd done. It was something in his past.

When she didn't move he didn't fight back. Instead, he shook his head, reached out and quickly doused the candle between his fingers before pulling it away and setting it out of sight. She smirked at his strange action, thinking it was just another of his quirks, a nervous habit. Until her eyes found the odd item sitting on the work table. Where tools and potions, scraps of paper, drawings, and knick knacks once sat, they'd all been pushed aside to accommodate a single scrap of cloth, something she'd never seen before. And the candle!

Her stomach turned. She hadn't just intruded, she'd interrupted…and it had been important. She reached out and set her hand along the fabric, she wasn't sure what it was, but she could put together what it all meant. No wonder he was upset. She'd felt the same way when she lit a candle for her grandmother every year on the anniversary of her death. She'd felt the same way every time she'd thought of her mother and cried, wishing she could undo what had been done.

"I'm, uh," she swallowed trying to find the words. The words to what? To excuse herself? To explain? To take his pain away? All of it? "I'm so sorry," was what popped out of her mouth, and she realized it was really the best thing she could have come up with, even if she had time to plan. Even better, it was sincere. She was sorry, for all of it, whatever _it_ was.

He didn't say anything, just watched her as always while she glanced down at the items on the table once more. "It was a remembrance wasn't it?" she questioned, struggling to pull her thoughts away from the white tomb her own mother now occupied next to her grandmother. She tried to instead focus on him, on what she'd somehow managed to miss that had led him to this place, this touching gesture.

The children's clothes, the ones she'd found, the ones that she'd suspected meant he had a family other than a wicked mother, a son from the look of it, was this confirmation of that suspicion? Was he mourning a child? Or the person that had owned the cane? Was he mourning the person that had found him "difficult to love"? Did he think of them everyday like she thought of her mother? Did he miss the person so much that sometimes it felt hard to breathe, impossible to live?! She doubted he'd answer, but nevertheless she couldn't seem to stop herself from opening her mouth and asking "How old would he be?"

"No, he's not _dead,_ " he shouted at her, irritated at the very suggestion, "he's just _lost_!"

"Lost?" she questioned, wondering if she might be able to get more information. Lost? What did he mean by lost? Had he been kidnapped? Taken away? Had he run away? And who was this person anyway?! She still couldn't be positive that he was talking about a son.

Rumpelstiltskin eyed her suspiciously, and then glanced back down to the piece of cloth he'd laid out and ran his fingers delicately, tenderly over the worn threads and stitches. He had that look in his eye again, the one that told her he wasn't in the tower with her anymore, but somewhere far, far away.

"Today is his birthday," he whispered, in the low solemn voice that told her he was being completely honest with her. "I should be with him, celebrating. We had a chance to be happy together, and I was afraid." He looked up, timidly, almost curious as to how she would react at this news. She felt as though she was being tested. Would she run and hide, shrink away from the man before her? Of course not. It might have been what he expected, but she just wouldn't do it. How could she? He'd been afraid. Everyone at some point or another had been afraid. She'd been terrified when the ogres attacked! But being afraid...it didn't make him any different from anyone else she'd ever met, it only made him more human, more a man than a beast in her eyes. She only wished she could help him see that.

"Maybe it's not too late," she encouraged. If the boy, or whoever they were talking about was only "lost" then maybe they could be found again.

"I hope not," he whispered sadly. She had one of those strange urges again. The ones she had to fight harder and harder to resist these days, the ones that she knew made him uncomfortable. She couldn't explain it, but she desperately wanted to reach out and cover his hand with her own, to let him know that hope wasn't lost, to hear the entire story, from the beginning, and understand it. To help in some way. Anything to get the sad look on his face to go away. She wanted him to know he wasn't alone. That she knew what it was like to lose someone, to feel this kind of pain. She wanted to know what he'd think of her if she put her arms around him and hugged him again. She wanted to know if he would hug her back and be more than a friend, if he'd be the comfort she'd wanted so badly to feel from someone since her mother died!

But she knew what would happen if she touched him now. He'd snap out of it, he'd send her away for sure. It wouldn't help him, it wouldn't help her, and it certainly wouldn't give her answers.

"No," he said suddenly, pushing himself away from the table, away from whoever he'd lost, and leaving her behind. "My ending shall not be a happy one," he concluded sadly.

She swallowed down the sadness she felt for him, tried to bury the curiosity wondering why she felt it so strongly. No. It didn't have to be that way. Lost didn't mean dead. Difficult to love didn't mean it was impossible. And a happy ending was never the best part of any story, not to her at least. "Well, you know," she swallowed, trying to get rid of the lump she felt in her throat so that her voice would be more than just a sad whisper. "I, uh, I always thought the idea of a happy ending was greatly exaggerated," she stated, trying to pretend they were just having one of their casual conversations shared over tea.

He stopped in his tracks at the comment. And though she knew he was itching to look at her, to read her face to figure out what she thinking, he only cast her a sideways glance over his shoulder. "What do you mean?" he asked, almost hopefully, like he thought that she might have some mysterious insight to offer him, to help him. She wasn't sure she would call her observations insightful, or if it would even help him or not, but at the very least it might help to take his mind off his loss, if only for a moment.

"I've never understood why people call them 'happy endings'?" she admitted. "Happy or not an ending is final. It's the end. How could an ending ever be happy? It's the story, the journey taken, that's always far more interesting, far more happy, than any ending I've ever heard of."

He was quiet. Her heart hammered against her chest and her breath echoed in her head with every inhale and exhale as she waited, curious as to what he would think of this strange belief she'd always possessed. She'd spoken the truth. She never had enjoyed the end of books, the "happy endings" were always her least favorite part of the story. If the book was good, when she arrived at the end she was always sad to see the characters she'd come to know and love bid her adieu. And what did that ending say about them anyway? They ceased their adventures? They went on to live boring dull lives, unworthy of a novel from that day forward? No. If that was what made up a "happy ending" if that was what she'd had to look forward to in her father's castle…well, she was glad she'd gone then.

Suddenly Rumpelstiltskin moved again. He came back to his senses and resumed his stride, taking his seat at the wheel as if she'd never said anything. The only confirmation that he'd even heard her words was the soft muttering of "you read too many books" as he set back to work, making, she observed, thread not gold.

It was a dismissal, but she wasn't disappointed. He didn't want to talk any more. And she couldn't say that she actually blamed him, not after what she'd interrupted. He'd wanted to be alone today, and he had every right to want that. After Samuel died she could remember turning people away from her bedroom and not wanting to see them. He deserved to mourn just as she had, and tomorrow he'd be back to his old self, at least she assumed he would be. After all, she'd gone this long without ever noticing the fact that he had lost someone. Maybe after some of the pain had passed, when he trusted her more, she could get him to tell her about what had happened, about who he'd been remembering, who he'd lost. But for now, all she could do, was leave him in peace.

"Do you need anything?" she asked gently "Tea? Dinner?" A friend?

"No. Nothing."

Unhappily resolved to grant him that single favor, she turned to leave, but the scene at the table, his makeshift altar, the one she'd burst in on, seemed to call out to her. With a deep breath she turned back with certain purpose, pulled the candle from where he'd hidden it under the table and set it back in its place. He watched her over his shoulder, pretending, poorly, not to be interested or intrigued by what she was doing. She used one of the other lit candles and the end of a spare bit of charred wood to set the small flame ablaze once more. Then, finally, she pulled out one of the roses she brought him, and laid it delicately before the shrine before turning and leaving him alone with his haunting memories.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh this chapter, this horrible little addition that while cute on the show caused more problems than it seemed because it certainly went against canon. I did my best with it. I did my best to make it all part of the mystery, to have Belle speculating more than knowing anything. He never says it's a son so I could easily enough connect it back to the cane and still have her try to figure out what he is talking about while keeping the innocence of the conversation. i hope that you think it's okay. This is one of those scenes that I just had to accept at a certain point and say "I've done my best with what I was given". As for Belle's idea's of happy endings...I stole that idea from myself. Really though, when you read a good book are you happy when you get to the ending? No! of course not! The best books that I read I used to dread getting to the end because I knew it would be over! I figured that Belle is a smart girl, she'd probably figure something like that out for herself as well. What do ya'll think? Pro-happy ending? Con?
> 
> Thank you Heart_of_a_oncer for your comments on the previous chapter! They are much beloved as always and it really is always nice to know I'm not the only one that catches those contradictions! It gets a little ridiculous sometimes, don't you think? Peace and Happy Reading!


	35. Passing Touches

Things had returned to almost normal ever since that day she'd found him in his tower. Almost normal. Though, she wondered if "normal for them" was ever really going to be "normal". They were up in the morning, breakfast, chores for her and work for him, they met every day for tea and talked for an hour or so before they went back to their perspective labors, then retired to their common room for dinner and the rest of their evening until one or both of them decided to go to bed. But that was only when he was around.

During the weeks that he was gone for days on end...well, at least she had the market. And it was finally warm enough that she could tolerate an hour reading outside, wrapped in a blanket, before the chill got to her and pushed her back inside. But, if she didn't know any better, she'd say that he was making an effort to be around more, instead of always leaving. Before winter had struck he had one out for days at a time, now if he left it was usually after breakfast and he reappeared around dinner time. And on the days that he confessed he'd be gone longer…was it her imagination or did he almost look upset that he had to be gone? Was it really possible that after months and months of tip toeing, ignoring one another and fighting, months of solitude and talking about books and unimportant things, that he'd finally begun to be comfortable enough around her that he didn't mind the castle anymore? Had she succeeded in turning his house into his home in some way and he enjoyed her company and not just the services she provided?

Sometimes she imagined he was. Sometimes it wasn't hard. When she woke up the morning after he'd been gone for dinner she knew that he was back right away. She'd fallen asleep last night in her tower instead of her dungeon room. She hadn't meant to. The last thing she remembered was reclining on her couch and laying her book over her chest, thinking she'd just close her eyes for a minute before finishing the chapter and going to bed properly...but when she woke up the sun was shining, her book was gone, carefully marked and placed on one of the tables, and one of her blankets that she kept on a different chair had been draped over her. She certainly hadn't done that. And that could only mean someone else was in the castle, someone had come looking for her, found her asleep, and covered her with the blanket so she could sleep there comfortably. She blushed as she sat up, but barely had time to think about what it all meant when she realized just how late it was. She had breakfast to get on the table!

He didn't mention that she was late that morning. She didn't mention the blanket she'd found tucked over her. Instead she asked how his trip had been, he confirmed it had been fruitful and asked about her work while he'd been gone, before falling into comfortable silence as they ate. She tried not to eat too fast or eagerly, but it was hard. Despite what he did and didn't say about her tardiness that morning she should have left for the market hours ago. But when she'd fallen asleep last night she hadn't realized that it had rained and the wash on the line had been drenched and foul smelling. Her list hadn't been made. And…well, now she was nearly ready. It would have to be a short trip. By the time she made it down the mountain she'd have only an hour or so before she'd need to start the trip back up to get in by dark. If the world was perfect she could have waited until tomorrow or a time that he was gone to go, but she needed food for tonight! And after she'd begged to be able to go to the market instead of using food provided by magic, she just couldn't ask him to do it again.

No, she had to go, if only she could get the temperamental clasp on her cloak to work! Her fingers fumbled with the thing yet again and she sighed in frustration. In all honesty, she liked the enchanted one that he gave her more than this one because it was easier to attach and didn't make her fingers hurt. But he took it from her after every trip into town, for reasons she didn't understand or care for. She knew what that clasp meant. Distrust. It meant he didn't believe she'd keep her promise to remain with him, still! Part of her hoped each time he took it he'd forget about it the next time, or that she could find time to sneak out and return just to show him that she wasn't going to leave. Maybe today was that day, as far as she knew he was in his tower, she was here and the clasp-

"Ouch!" she hissed, pulling her finger away and examining it for broken skin. She wasn't hurt, her fingers were just numb from fighting with it for the last fifteen minutes. With a heavy sigh she struggled to try again. "Why can't I ever get this fastener…"

"Belle!" his voice cried out for her from the cracked door and she felt her heart sink. She'd almost made it out before he noticed, almost had the chance to impress him…almost. "Oh, there you are," he piqued glancing in the door and striding toward her when he found her by the table. "And so near the front door planning on leaving me?!"

No. That was what she'd been trying to prove she wouldn't do. "You know I wouldn't do that, Rumpelstiltskin," she sighed sadly.

"No, certainly not, at least not while wearing that fastener."

He had the enchanted one. She didn't know if she should feel insulted at that, or just relieved that she didn't have to struggle with this one anymore. "Don't be so dramatic," she insisted. "I'm just going to the market down the road. Unless you start spinning straw into meals, I still need food to cook with." He knew that. He knew where she'd been going. He knew-

What was happening? Her breath caught in her throat and she seemed incapable of forcing herself to breath in or out. She was still she knew she was, but her body felt alive, tingling, like it was on fire. He'd wrapped his arms around her! He was the one to touch her! Again! First the blanket, now…well, no he wasn't touching her, she supposed. Instead of standing in front of her to attach the clasp at her throat he was simply reaching around her to do it, but it felt so strange. Nerve-wracking. She just couldn't figure out why!

"Don't forget," he muttered in her ear, his chest rumbling against her back where he was pressed to fix her cloak for her, "that fastener is enchanted. If you wander off, I'll know."

His words made her mind move finally. She still felt tense with him just there at her shoulder, but his comment…that was why she'd wanted to leave and return without his knowledge. "I made a promise to stay with you forever," she reminded him as he finished with the fastener. "And I hope that someday you'll realize I'm a woman of my word."

"We'll see about that." She felt his hands on her shoulders then, making her even more tense than she had been. The pressure he applied forced her to turn and face him and as his eyes raked over her she was suddenly aware at just how dry her mouth was and how messy her hair was. He was just making sure the clasp was secure wasn't he? But suddenly his hands moved from her shoulders to her back, the hood of her cloak. He gave it a gentle tug up and over her head and the moment his fingers accidently brushed over her cheeks she wished she could hide her blush better. So…they were touching now? Her back, her shoulders, her face…when had that begun? When she'd hugged him only a week or so ago he'd still been uneasy at her touch, but now? Now he was doing it? And without any hesitation at all?! What had happened?

"Now, don't catch cold out there," he muttered quickly, suddenly pulling his hands away from her and taking a few safe steps away. "The forest path is quite damp. We wouldn't want an illness interfering with your daily chores, would we?"

She smiled at his quick recovery. She was right, he was getting more and more comfortable with having her around, maybe even enjoying having someone else around for more than just another body, but heaven forbid he ever show an emotion like that to her or anyone else.

"Definitely not," she joked as she took her basket and the two of them walked out to the door, "we both know this place would fall into disrepair without me."

He chuckled beside her as the door opened. "I survived centuries before you dearie and I'll survive centuries after," he assured her.

But as she strode past him out the door, without explanation she heard herself mutter "are you sure about that Rumpelstiltskin?" Her own words shocked her as she made her way down the path. Not the idea behind her words, she'd been thinking for quite a while that he was damaged and not just by a curse. He had a hole in his hardened heart from years of isolation, magic, and deal making. No. She wasn't surprised by the idea. She was just surprised that she'd had the courage to say it to him. The last time she'd voiced a thought like that she'd ended up outside in the rain and a victim of a kidnapping. But now?

Halfway down the path she stopped and threw a glance over her shoulder. He was still there, leaning against the door, arms crossed over his chest as he watched her go. He watched her. He kept track of her with the special fastener. No matter what she thought of him and his heart she knew what he thought of her. He still didn't trust her. She had hoped that today that would be changed. So…maybe it wouldn't be today, but maybe if she couldn't gain his trust today, she'd at least get to prove something else to him. He cared.

With a shy smile she raised her hand and waved good-bye. He didn't reciprocate, but even if the distance, before he went back into his solitude, she was almost certain she saw him smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is all from the comic, I kid you not. Everything from when he calls to her up to the moment that she waves good-bye is all there. I took the liberty of adding one like that went in between the spaces o the drawing and that was it. Rumple's behavior isn't out of character according to the creators this is where they progressed to and I've tried really hard to work ME&U up to. I hope that you'll like this little section that we have!
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	36. A Sacrifice For All

Fate had a funny way of making her laugh sometimes. After the timid requests to come to the market place and the silence that had followed in the wake of that request, in the end she didn't really care for the market as much as she'd hoped she would. Oh, in another life she thought she might have, but in this life, the life of Rumpelstiltskin's maid, it really wasn't as glamorous as she'd hoped.

It was crowded, always crowded. And noisy too. She could hear the shouts of sales pitches and the harsh tones of negotiation a mile away and it truly didn't bother her, in fact it intrigued her. The problem was it all seemed to stop almost the instant she arrived. The first morning he'd sent her and she requested money from him, he'd denied her, simply telling her that his name was all she'd need. And it was. The first time she'd requested something and hadn't had the coins to pay for it, the first time she'd silently said "please, I have nothing, I work for Rumpelstiltskin, I'm his caretaker, for his estate" her fate at the market had been sealed. In fear, word of who she was spread quickly, and the people went out of their way to make sure she got what she needed for next to nothing at all and after she realized what had happened, how they'd given her their hard work for free, she felt her stomach roll over from the guilt. It didn't matter that the first time she'd returned she'd told him never to ask her to cheat good people just trying to get by out of honest money and he'd given her a satchel of golden coins, the damage was done.

There were still crowds, but the moment she stepped into town they all seemed to migrate away from her, giving her ample space to go where she needed to go. And it was still noisy, but among the shouts and harsh tones were the whispers. They all knew who she was now, despite the fact that she'd only let it slip to two or three people that day. As she moved down the road, looked at the vendors she could hear the mothers pull their small children away from her like she was infected with some dreadful disease and their sharp warnings not to go anywhere near her filled her ears. She could feel the eyes of the merchants on her, fearful that she'd choose that day to step up to them and draw the Dark One into their lives if they didn't have what she needed.

She'd wanted this so badly, but in the end it just made her feel tainted, poisonous somehow. It made her feel different all because she was associated with the dreaded Dark One. No, it was more than that. Their stares made her feel self-conscious, like they knew more about her and him than they did. They wouldn't treat her like this if they knew she was his prisoner, would they? Did they know that she'd gone willingly? Of their long talks? That she missed his presence when he was gone? Did they know what she felt when he put his arms around her to fasten her cloak? Was she hoping he'd do it again? Did she want him to?

"I'm tellin' ya, that's Rumpelstiltskin's servant," a hushed voice cut through the crowd shaking her from her thoughts and drawing her back into their world.

"You're daft," another female voice answered. "She's far too pretty, don't you know he turns everything around him ugly?"

She shook her head and quickly stalked away, her eyes on the stalls she needed to get to. They didn't understand him, the man that had thoughtfully brought her a book as a souvenir from his travels, and they certainly didn't understand her, As soon as she got this done she could leave. As soon as she was done she could start back up toward the safety of the castle and enjoy the sunny day and the silence the world offered. She could think more about how to convince him that she was trustworthy and he didn't need silly things like this fastener to prove it.

"Morning Robert," she sighed stepping up to the man that she'd learned always had the most wonderful vegetables. "Do you have any of those small yellow potatoes today? The golden ones?"

"Oh, yes!" he answered quickly, rubbing his neck and glancing at something over to the side. Oh, the potatoes were there. Of course. "I have some. Not very many. But you can have the lot!" he smiled, but it was a false smile, a pleading nervous grin. He wasn't being nice just because he was nice, though she didn't doubt that he was. This happened at all of the vendors. They thought their eagerness would hide their fear…it only showcased it in her eyes. They wore masks just as he did, only not nearly as well.

"Don't worry," she assured him, setting her basket up on the table for him to put her potatoes in. "I only need a couple," she informed him reaching into her bag for her-his money.

"But I was here first-"

"You'll have to come back later!" Robert shouted at a man around the corner, giving him a shove backwards.

"Don't you know who that is, you idiot," someone whispered behind her as she collected an extra coin or two for Robert. She couldn't bear to look at him. She was sure he was a good person too, just like Robert. But he couldn't help this situation any more than she could. "You bother her," the person warned, "the Dark One'll get you!" Clearly they just didn't understand that she was a good person too and didn't give her employer a thorough report of everything that happened in the market.

She did her best to pretend she hadn't heard the remarks, painted a fake smile of her own on her own face, and slipped the coins into Robert's hands as she took her basket. "Thank you, sir," she insisted before he could count them. "You're most kind."

"N…not…not at all!" the old man finally choked out. She didn't know how Rumpelstiltskin did this all the time. She was already counting down the minutes until she was on the road, away from all these people who feared her just because of him. Maybe that was why he enjoyed her so much. She certainly wasn't scared of him.

So, she had her potatoes for tonight. It was something new she'd found in her book of recipes. It was called mashed potatoes and she thought she could do it with less than the recipe had called for, but she did need just a little bit of fresh milk, which was in the stall…

Before she could located Jennifer's stand the murmurings she thought she was doing a decent job shutting out suddenly changed. It was the eyes that gave it away. She didn't feel them on her, not anymore. There was something else going on, something that was different. A sound, rumbling and squeaking down the street as men, women, and children huddled together looking eagerly at…something she was too short to see.

"What's that?" she questioned, doing her best to see what had taken her spot in their minds.

"More wounded soldiers," a frail voice beside her answered. It was an elderly woman, missing nearly all her front teeth, her eyes cloudy from old age, and her body shaking with effort to keep breathing. She didn't think she was aware of who she was talking to, but that was just fine with her. The woman seemed to know at least what was going on. "Seems like the toll from the ogres will never end," the woman remarked as the crowd parted for a horse drawn cart carrying bandaged men looking bloody and depressed upon it.

"Oh those poor men!" she groaned watching them walk by her. "The ogres are horrible," she managed to say tearing her eyes away from the wounded and doing her best to focus on the woman. But it was impossible. Those people could have been her people. That was what she'd saved them from and yet there were others that were suffering as they thrived. Maybe going to the market wasn't such a great idea to fight for if it meant constantly seeing this. Maybe magical food was better. She wasn't sure she could take too much more of the strain these trips gave her. The glances, the whispers, and now the reminders! She just wasn't sure if-

Her heart stopped.

There, rolling past her, was another cart, this one towed by a healthy looking soldier from some region she didn't know. Inside the cart was another man. His leg bandaged and bloody, his eyes closed, his face…it seemed familiar. More than familiar. "Wait," she whispered to herself. "Is that…" but she couldn't finish that sentence. No! Of course it wasn't! He was dead! He'd died years ago at least that's the conclusion she'd come to, her mother had confirmed it! But…but it wasn't possible…was it?

"Stop!" she cried, moving around the bodies beside her to get a better look at the man they were carrying. If she didn't find out, if she didn't know for sure, she might never forgive herself. His leg was bandaged, she could see that, but his face was what she needed to focus on. Time had passed, there was no doubt, if this was who she thought it was then he would look different just as she would. His face. Thin. Long. Sharp pointed nose. His head was bandaged but there was sandy brown hair peeking out from under the bandages. And there, another step forward, a quickly glance at a detail others would have missed but she knew to look for because she'd accidentally put it there climbing trees with him…a scar under his right eye. Her heart was racing, her eyes filling with tears at the sight of the ghost! It wasn't possible! But...but it was! How had he gotten out here?! Where was he going? Where were they taking him?! His parents...did they know they'd buried someone that wasn't their son.

"Please!" she begged of the healthy soldiers stepping forward, hoping they didn't know who she was, that they wouldn't fear speaking with her. "Where did you find that man?!" she demanded.

"You know 'im?" the man toting the cart questioned, stopping for her. She wasted no time and rushed to his side examining him now for anything that didn't match to prove her wrong...but there was nothing.

Samuel. Her friend was alive! He was perfect, just as she remembered him. Except for the injuries of course. But still...he was...

"We grew up together," she whispered, her voice breaking as she looked him over. "I…I thought he'd been killed on the battlefield years ago!" And yet here he was. Alive…barely.

"We're comin' from the ogre camps," a man next to her answered gently, his voice sympathetic to her. "Hard to know how long those men had been there."

Years. They'd been there years. She remembered now, it was perfectly clear to her. Samuel hadn't died when the ogres attacked…he'd been taken hostage. The man she'd spoken with that day had told her that some men had been taken...she just hadn't thought that one of them saw Samuel and hadn't needed to believe it after his parents had claimed his body. Or...a body she supposed. One that clearly wasn't their son. That was why no one had looked for him. And being taken by the ogres...that was the only thing would have prevented him from returning to her, from writing to let her know he was safe. And now…now she wasn't sure if she was happy he was alive, or saddened that he hadn't been spared a terrible fate.

Suddenly he shifted there in the cart, a moan escaped his lips and his head lolled to the side as they spoke above him. Her voice. Did he recognize her voice?! "Samuel?" she questioned leaning in closer, hoping he'd open his eyes, "do you recognize me?" The men beside her were silent for a heartbeat, maybe waiting with baited breath as she was for something to happen, maybe just afraid to say anything that might disappoint her but it didn't matter. Nothing could disappoint her more than the silence, the stillness, from her childhood friend. He wasn't dead, but he certainly wasn't alive either.

"He's so pale," she commented, feeling his skin with the back of her hand. Clammy and hot. She didn't know much about health but she knew that wasn't good. "How bad are his wounds?" she asked reaching out to touch his chest and feel his heartbeat.

"Seems his leg was cut by somethin' enchanted," one of the men answered softly. "The wound has gone all funny and won't heal. Though it's the fever that'll do him in if he don't get the chance to rest up in a clean bed."

A clean bed. There must have been plenty of those here, why wasn't he in one? With a doctor giving him something, anything for his fever! "Are there no doctors traveling with you?" she asked finally turning to the man.

"None with any knowledge of an enchanted wound such as this," the man answered. "And at the pace we move, we don't have the luxury of stopping to look for one."

"How far's the camp?"

"Good several day's hard ride…at least," he answered. She felt her stomach drop. No. She'd gotten him back only to loose him again? All because she'd made a deal too late to save him? And after all he'd gone through they were just going to carry on and let him die?!

Samuel gave another groan beside her and pulled her attention away as she eagerly looked down at him, hoping for an eye to open, a word, a sigh, anything! But nothing happened. He seemed to fade out just as quickly as he faded in. It wasn't fair.

"Sorry miss," the man muttered behind her. "Better say your good-byes. I don't think the likes of him will last long." Say her good-byes. The good-byes she'd never gotten to say? The good-byes she wasn't permitted to say because as quickly as they'd suggested it the cart rolled to life again as they dragged him away with the others down the road. She watched sadly as he went, wishing she had words, doing her best to memorize every last bit of him that she could. Just not the bandages around his head and his leg. Yet another thing magic had taken from her.

Something inside of her snapped. It stole her breath away as she realized what she hadn't before. She didn't know much about medicine. But this didn't exactly need medicine. It was magic. She knew where to find everything that she needed to know about magic! She lived with an expert. "Wait! Stop!" she cried out, the words gone from her mouth before she could really even consider them. She didn't know what Rumpelstiltskin would think, she didn't care. She'd sacrificed her entire world for her village, her people…all of them from every village. Samuel included. "I can help him!" she declared confidently. She couldn't lose him. Not again!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Finally at we arrive at one of the chapters that inspired the Samuel chapters in ML! Yay! I hope you'll like what I've done with it. I didn't really need to do too much after the writing of ML either. That's the nice thing about keeping things ambiguous, it kinda fits the need no matter what in the end!
> 
> Thank you Heart_of_a_oncer for your comments on the pro vs. con ending debate. Intriguing. I don't think you are wrong! Peace and Happy Reading!


	37. Strange Unexplainable Reactions

She wished she could move faster. She wished she was bigger and stronger and that this old wooden cart the soldier had set in her hands when she'd proclaimed she could take Samuel was a bit more sturdy so he didn't feel every little bump and dip in the road as she hauled him up the mountain. She wished that it didn't take as much time as it did to get up the mountain. On a normal day, with just a basket load of food it would take her two or three hours, it was enough time to get back and make dinner before the sun set but today, between her early morning delay and unexpected load, she'd be lucky to make it back before dark.

She could summon him. It was a stray thought that she had each time the path to the castle got steeper or narrower. He'd told her that just by saying his name three times he would come to her side, no matter where she was, no matter where he was! But no. She quickly decided that she couldn't do that. She was bringing a stranger back to his castle for him to heal! She had no idea what he'd think of that! And while she was certain that she could convince him to help Samuel once he was on the property she didn't want to risk having him deny her request before then and forcing her to abandon Samuel to die in the middle of the woods. Giving him little choice was always going to be better than giving him multiple choices.

So she trekked on, each hill making her reconsider calling him to help her take him up before her senses came back and she continued on her trek. The sun was setting by the time she caught sight of the castle doors again and she sighed in relief only to hear Samuel give one of the familiar groans he'd given throughout their journey. She wished it wasn't such a great distance.

"We're almost there Samuel," she assured her friend as she trudged onward. She'd have to face Rumpelstiltskin sooner or later over this, Samuel needed it to be sooner. The wooden doors that led inside the wall were heavy, but after hours of pulling over a hundred pounds they felt light as a feather. For a few brief moments she thought that her next obstacle would be simple, figuring out how to get the cart up the stairs that led inside, but just as she'd resolved to force her friend awake long enough to walk up them for her she saw the door to the castle open, and Rumple step outside with a scowl on his face. Sooner had just arrived.

"Rumpelstiltskin," she cried, there was no use in pretending or trying to hide him now, "I need your help!"

"Please tell me it doesn't have anything to do with the cart of rotting flesh behind you," he sneered looking down at her with a mixture of disgust and disbelief. She stopped the cart at his feet and ran to Samuel's side to make sure that he wasn't any further damaged than when she'd last seen him. He wasn't. Just more sickly. She had to get him up and into a clean bed. Quickly. Now.

"Rumple," she gasped, wrapping her arms around him, trying to rouse him, sit him up, anything to help her help him! It worked, but only barely. He didn't hardly open his eyes, didn't say anything, only stumbled beside her and made it up a step or two before his legs gave out and he collapsed back down onto the steps. She only just barely managed to catch him before he could split his head open from the impact. He'd never make it on his own. She needed help! And when it came to magical wounds, or anything magical for that matter, she knew exactly who to go to for help. Rumpelstiltskin could save him. "He's badly wounded," she exclaimed, "he may die!"

Nothing changed. He didn't move a muscle, just continued to watch her with that strange look. "I seem to remember that you went out to buy food," he pointed out angrily as she struggled, "yet you return with a stranger. Do you expect me to eat him?"

This was what she'd been afraid of. Bringing him back here. They'd made so much progress over the last few months and she'd done so much in the castle…it was easy to forget the castle wasn't home for her. It was her prison and his home but it hadn't felt that way recently! She could convince him to help him! If magic had done the damage perhaps magic could fix him! At the very least she knew she could get Rumple to allow her to help him! But that was only if he didn't himself. He cared for her. He didn't always act like it but she knew that he did. He'd saved her, caught her, he'd brought her a gift just because he'd thought of her! He'd do this for her if she asked. Wouldn't he?

"He's not a stranger to me!" she corrected. "And your magic is the only thing that might be able to heal him. Please," she begged glancing back at him before turning to him again. He'd help her to get his privacy back. Their privacy. "We can send him on his way as soon as he's better."

"And why should I assist this?" he questioned with a higher tone and a flamboyant gesture. "What do I get out of it?"

"Nothing," she whispered. Behind her Samuel gave a pathetic groan, she felt her eyes water because she knew that she was running out of time. She quickly raced back down the stairs and picked up the rag that the officer had given her along with bandages and Samuel's belongings, only a knapsack, and quickly wiped his forehead clear of the sweat that she found there just as she had while she'd climbed the hill. "But it's the right thing to do," she commented looking down at him. She had to convince him to let her help. She just couldn't loose him again! And-

Suddenly the hand cleansing Samuel closed over nothing but damp skin and when she opened her palm she saw the remnants of disappearing purple smoke. Magic. "What have you done to this rag?" she questioned before looking up and finding it in his own hand.

"I was just trying to make a point!" he snapped looking it over with a disgusted shiver. "Already my belongings are being rendered into filthy wrecks!"

Her jaw hung open and she felt something inside of her snap at his words. She hated when he made deals instead of just doing the right thing because it was the right thing to do! She didn't know exactly what they were but she knew that they were more than just master and servant and she knew that he was more than the Dark One. She was giving him the opportunity to do something great and he was just…he just…he was…

She felt herself storm around the cart and up the stairs, fire roaring in her chest. "You are being awful!" she yelled at him. "I won't just stand here and do nothing while you play games and let him die!"

"All right!" he shouted back at her, taking a little step away from her. It was the step. The way he moved away from her. It was so different than how he'd reacted the last time this had happened before the winter struck. He was acting as if she'd struck him and stepping away from her, for some reason, the way he stepped away from her…it sobered her. She'd meant to convince him, but not like this and it left her feeling…strangely guilty.

"Bring him in then," he sneered from his place inside the castle. "I won't help him, but I won't snuff out his breath either. If he dies, he dies, we'll let fate decide, shall we?"

It worked. But there would be time for feeling guilty over it later. There would be time to properly thank him later as well. For now, Samuel needed caring for and as she placed her arms around his body again, doing her best to try and pick him up and get him inside…she just couldn't do it!

"Rumpelstiltskin wait!" she cried out before he could disappear into the depths of his castle. So, he wouldn't heal him. That was…well, it was less than ideal but she could figure it out without him. Moving him on the other hand… "Please," she cried when he glanced over his shoulder at her. "I can't move him. He needs a clean bed and rest and I can't-"

Before she could finish her sentence the weight in her arms disappeared in a plume of smoke. Samuel. He was gone and…his things...it was all... She glanced up at Rumple, standing there in the doorway, her stomach twisting and turning. He'd said he wouldn't hurt him. But he hadn't said that he wouldn't send him away. He wouldn't have…he hadn't…

"I believe you'll find him in one of the second floor bedrooms you've insisted on cleaning out," he snapped from the doorway. She sighed with shameful relief. Maybe he wasn't the only one that needed to learn trust. If she trusted him, trusted the time they'd spend together, trusted what he'd done for her and how she knew him, she would have known that he wouldn't harm him, that he'd keep his word, and allow her to care for him.

She nodded and hurried up the steps and back into the castle. The second floor. She had to find him on the second floor so she could-

He silenced her thoughts with another touch, this one stronger than the one he'd given when he secured her cloak. He caught her elbow and although it was a rough grasp it didn't hurt her, it just made her heart jump into her throat as he took a step closer to her. "Use your time to nurse the lost puppy wisely. I'll still expect your chores to be done, including dinner at its appropriate time," he whispered in her ear.

Her mouth was dry again. She didn't know why he was whispering or why he was standing so close when they were the only two on this mountain. Three. There were three of them now. Two in the room. And Samuel…

She felt herself nod next to him, acknowledge that she understood but before she could pull away from him and make her way up the stairs another burst of magic caught her eye and before she knew it he'd bent her arm and slipped her basket onto the crook he'd made. "You left this in the cart," he whispered. She needed to move, to walk, forward, upstairs, anything but somehow all she could feel were his fingers on her arm.

"It…it'll be ready in time," she muttered. "You'll enjoy it. I promise." She risked a glance up at him when it got too quiet between them, when she could hear her heartbeat in her ears and felt like she could hear his. No. Not hear it. Feel it. From where his chest was pressed against her shoulder-

"I have to check on Samuel," she muttered somehow finding her legs and pulling away from him to the place that she felt like herself again, the place where she felt her mind working again. "Thank you," she sighed. "For letting Samuel stay…thank you." And before she could begin to contemplate what had just happened between the two of them, why she felt and acted the way she did she moved quickly up the stairs and began to search for her friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More touching! The more and more I thought on it the more I felt like this was a great addition to the story line because it allowed me to insert something that I hadn't had before in the story. Touching. Before OotP came out I had always had the first time they touched be at the spinning wheel, which was fine, it worked well enough but after this came out it worked better to work up to it. Now don't worry, touching his leg is still a little bit more intimate than what they're doing here and I totally get that. But at least it flows a little better this way and doesn't feel like go from 0 to hello upper thigh in no time at all. It just becomes a very natural motion by then, anything a friend might do!
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	38. Truth and Daggers

She shouldn't have been surprised that in bringing Samuel home with her she'd gotten herself into a bit of a mess. But honestly, on the way up the mountain as she'd been thinking about how to help him she just hadn't considered how much there was to do! In the two or three hours since she'd returned from the market, since Rumpelstiltskin had touched her arm and dismissed her, she felt as though she'd been everywhere.

He was of course right where Rumple had said he would be. Upstairs. In one of the rooms that she'd cleaned out, laying on the bed. It was a simple room, small, probably something that a servant should have had instead of a dungeon. It held a small chest of drawers, a mirror, and chair that Samuel's small knapsack was hung over, and a small table where she found the rag and bandages the man that had been with Samuel had given her when she'd taken him off his hands. There was a hideous bear skin rug she hated in the center but for the most part it was friendly and clean now that she was here. In fact the window with the simple curtain draped over it held one of her favorite views of the mountains. A view Samuel couldn't see and wouldn't unless she helped him.

She'd gotten him situated; did her best to make him as comfortable as possible despite the fact that he wouldn't open his eyes and only ever burst out in small groans and moans of pain. She quickly felt his skin again, determined that he was still running a fever and made a trip to the library for every book that she had that mentioned fever. her experience with magical wounds was limited to restoring lost memories, not that she'd been successful with that of course. But beyond that she'd never studied medicine before and had never had to know how to treat a fever. As a child, even as an adult, when she got sick a doctor was always called and after a few strict days of her nurses and parents forcing her to follow through with "doctors orders" she'd been better. But she'd never actually understood what it all meant! She did now.

A fever was a sign of infection. Though it couldn't be proven, the theory was that the body began to heat itself up in an effort to fight the source of the infection. Which would be all well and good if fevers left unattended didn't have the power to kill. That was something she didn't expect. The body needed to do it, but at the same time it had to be watched carefully so that the body didn't "overheat".

With that she pulled the blankets and sheets away from Samuel, afraid to make him too hot. Then she went down into her kitchen and retrieved a bowl, filled it with cool water, gathered rags, and returned upstairs to wipe him down. Her forehead, wrists, and the back of her neck. As a child she could remember being sick and having people lay cool clothes over her in those areas. There was no possibility of placing one over his neck, but before she left for dinner, prompt as ever to please Rumpelstiltskin, she tied two to his wrists. She checked his forehead before she went on, pulled the bandages from the "non-enchanted" injury away and examined the small head wound. There was dried blood around a cut just by his hairline but once she washed it out and determined it truly wasn't bad she didn't re-bandage it, just left a cool towel over his head to keep the fever in check before leaving to start dinner.

She served dinner quickly, hoping that she could eat quickly with Rumple and get back to her patient, only when she finally delivered dinner to the great hall she found her chair, usually placed at the opposite end of the table by Rumpelstiltskin, in its normal spot by the fire. "I assume as I've seen no evidence of miraculous healing you'll be spending more time with your charge," he mentioned at her confused face.

His words brought a sigh of relief as he started on dinner without her. She'd expected and wanted to eat dinner with him, just as she always did now but…now that he mentioned it she should be upstairs with Samuel. "I'd…I'd like that, yes," she stuttered looking down at him, almost sad to see him eat alone. Was it just her, or did he show signs of being unhappy at the prospect as well? "If…if you don't mind, of course."

"Mind?!" he piqued suddenly. "What does it matter to me so long as the dishes get done and breakfast gets made?" The way he avoided her eyes made her frown, her heart split in two as she realized she'd much rather take in a silent dinner with him than a busy evening with an old friend. It was the right thing to do, going to Samuel, saving his life just as she had the rest of the people from her village, but it made her feel guilty. It made her feel like she'd invited a stranger into their protected space and taken something away from him. From her. He was lonely. She was lonely on the mountain. Being lonely together…

It was something they'd have time for later. It was something they'd have years for, maybe even centuries for. Forever. She'd promised to stay here with him in his loneliness forever. Samuel only needed a few days. Still, she found herself kneeling down by him, so he'd be forced to look at her, so he couldn't hide his upset or hallow disappointed eyes in his soup, and she dared to reach out and try what he had, to see just how comfortable he was. She placed her hand over his and felt herself smile when he didn't flinch, not a single muscle in his hand twitched at the touch.

"Thank you for understanding how much he needs me," she whispered. Then, before he could rebut her or add something nasty or cruel for the sake of keeping her at a distance, she collected her tray of food and walked out of the room and back up to Samuel. She'd been optimistic and poured a bowl of soup for him as well but honestly didn't think he'd awaken or be strong enough to have it. Still, it was the thought that counted.

There had been no change in him from when she'd left him. He was just as lifeless as she'd left him. But then again that shouldn't have surprised her either. It was simple logic. Cause and effect. His physical problem was only the effect of a magical cause. If she wanted to truly fix the effect she had to focus on the cause. As she sat at his bedside, wringing her washcloth to pat his face down once more she realized that in this case books on medicine would only get her so far. They couldn't cure him, but they might help her keep him alive long enough to find the real culprit.

Her eyes fell on the bandage around his leg, the one that she had yet to unwrap and redress though her books told her she had to. An enchanted blade. That was what the man had told her was responsible. That was what she needed to find.

With a final pat, she set the bowl aside and went back up into her library, to a section that she rarely used, never used in fact! The only reason she was familiar with it was because she'd made it her business to know everything about this library. Unfortunately there were only a couple of books on magical metallurgy, but there were more books on magic. One by one her eyes scanned titles, opened their pages, read what they were about searching for the ones most likely to help her friend.

 _"Legendary Creatures of the Realms"_ …" _Mythical Monsters and How We Can Search for Them"_ …" _Non-Human Species of Mist Haven"_...

She plucked that book off the shelf. If it was something the ogres had done to him then it should be mentioned in there if it spoke of their arsenal.

 _"Magical Mechanisms Made Famous by Famous Wizards"_ … _"Enchanting the Ordinary"_ … _"Cursed Objects Among the Blessed"..._

She grabbed that one too.

 _"Tricks for Healing Mortal Wounds"_ …" _Finding the Curses For The Enemy"_ …" _How to Use Extraordinary Fauna to Heal and Ward Off Illnesses and Other Curses of a Dark Nature"_...

She took a breath at that mouthful. It wouldn't exactly have been her first choice for a title, but at least it was specific and she grabbed that book as well.

Anything she could find she piled into her arms and carried down into Samuel's room. It might have been easier to stay in the library but she had to be there with him. He couldn't wake up to wipe his own forehead she had to be there to do it for him. Difficult as it was, she had to be a doctor as well as a caretaker all at once. She was tired. It was certainly passed the time that Rumpelstiltskin would have retired, herself included. But she didn't let that phase her. She read. She read everything that she could, when she got tired she found some quick little task or chore to do, like eating and washing dishes, something mindless that kept her body busy while her brain worked.

_"Magical curses and wounds are among the most difficult to be treated as even the smallest are warded against healing…"_

_"The worst curses live within the skin of the victim, sometimes they effect the flesh living the body in impossible head to toe agony, other times the curse knits flesh back together permanently making any attempt to remove the magical stain futile."_

_"Those who survive magical ailments to the body have often sought help from magical practitioners of the opposite magic. Light for dark, dark for light…"_

Half the time she didn't even know what she was reading, this was all so new and strange to her. Light and dark magic. She remembered reading about that when she'd read about the rock trolls but she just couldn't remember what exactly she'd read. It was so late!

 _"When attempting to cure a human suffering from magical repercussions made physical, the first step is sometimes to admit that nothing but comfort can be granted in the victims final days."_ She sighed. That was encouraging. " _However, those who are persistent in treating others will often say that the first place to begin is the identify the ailment fully. Assess the victims symptoms so that the location and nature of the curse can be properly identified. Vomiting, bloody nasel discharge, stool, or urine are signs of an internal curse working through the body. Stiff muscles, limp body parts, difficult or shallow breathing, rapid or slow heartbeat are all symptoms of curses that effect the muscles. Poor or sudden loss of eyesight, speech, smell, taste, or hearing are often associated with the brain and considered the most hopeless of causes. Skin discoloration, unhealed or improperly healed wounds, consuming, unpredictable, and implacable pain are all symptoms that a curse has worked its way into the skin of the victim."_

That was helpful. Horribly depressing because of what the other book had said but it was the first thing that she understood and seemed helpful! She paged through the book she'd found until she found the section dedicated to the skin curses. They were awful, to say the least. It turned her stomach just reading about them and seeing the illustrated pictures in front of her but one thing became abundantly clear as she read. There would be guess work involved in this.

No book was going to give her step by step help and she wasn't a doctor or a sorcerer…at some point she was going to have to start making educated guesses on what was going on with him and how to treat him. With her luck, after a few days Rumpelstiltskin might grow tired of this and be willing to help but she had to accept the fact that he might not and she couldn't rely on the fact that Samuel had a couple of days for Rumpelstiltskin to come around. She was on her own for now. And if educated guesses were the best she could do, then she had to be educated.

She learned that she could tell a lot about a wound by looking at it. Was it bleeding? How much blood was there? Were there any bugs or animals attracted to it? Any strange smells? Was the cut clean or jagged? Did it grow over time? Was there anything in the cut? Pus? And amulet? A shard of metal? How far did the pain radiate? Did it appear to be in shades of red and purple or was the green or even yellow colors to it? Those were all bad signs but she didn't know because she hadn't looked yet. According to the book, looking at the wound would be incredibly helpful to determine what had injured him.

With trembling fingers, she apologized uselessly for any pain she might cause him and timidly opened the bandage on his leg up. She sighed as she looked it over. It looked…ordinary. If the man hadn't told her that it was something enchanted that had hurt him she might have never guessed it was magical! It wasn't bleeding. It smelled only like sweat and dirt, like it hadn't been touched in days but certainly not like rot! She wasn't an expert but it looked clean enough. Like a sword or a knife could have done it to him, frankly it didn't even look that deep! No strange colors, no growing, no pus or stray metal, certainly no amulet, and she'd love to ask him about the pain but a glance up at his closed eyes told her that asking wouldn't do any good.

It was strange how something this small could claim so much of his life. But then again it wasn't the wound that was causing his decline, not exactly. It was magic.

"We're going to fix you up, Samuel," she whispered into the air as she sealed the bandage back over his leg and reached for the cloth to dampen his forehead once more. "Though the books say even a small wound from an enchanted weapon can be difficult to heal…I'll find something," she resolved confidently. "I promise I'll figure something out. I just have to figure out what weapon hurt you."

That was the question now. Which weapon was responsible for this? She had books on weaponry scattered around the room, it would take days to search them all but she could figure this out she knew she could. Ogres! He'd been in an ogre war and held at an ogre camp that was the first place to begin! Only…that seemed to lead her to nothing but a single, unhelpful paragraph.

_"Ogres are nasty brutes that tend to rely more on physical strength and crudely made weapons like clubs and on occasion blunt swords fashioned from inappropriate metal. Because they are blind and rely on sound and smell, swords used are used improperly and victims are often crushed in the end. There is no record of any ogre using anything more than a club to great success."_

So, unless Samuel was the most unlucky one of a kind man in the world, an ogre hadn't done this. But he'd been held in a camp, along with other humans that had been rescued with him from all over. There was no telling what Samuel or any of them had done to survive! It's possible a fight had broken out in the camp and, although she hated to think about it, a human could have done this to him. Over shelter. Food. A fire. Anything. She had no idea the kind of life he'd been living. But she could only imagine that the items with him would have also been crude, made from scrapes or things that they picked off the dead they encountered or things they found in the woods foraging.

Weapons were easy to enchant, according to the book. In fact, it was common practice in certain armies to enchant swords, shield, knifes, anything really! In one country plagued by giants a potion that was toxic to giants was prepared and carried with the army. Before battle the swords were permeated with them so a single stick could take one down entirely.

But Samuel wasn't a giant and that concoction was harmless to humans.

In another country, a sword had been placed in a stone to…no. She knew that story. Camelot. Her cheeks reddened, and the corner of her mouth lifted in a smirk at just the thought of the Gauntlet, but she had to move on.

Swords could be steeped in poison, she learned, but little else. Their size made them too big and unpredictable to carry simple enchantments. Knifes on the other hand where better for curses and spells. The metal was more concentrated and they were so small that they could possess the entire weapon ensuring that the entire curse transferred. _"After all,"_ one book added grimly _"when using a dagger against an enemy it is almost impossible to use only half!"_

She hated it, but it was true. A dagger then. Or a knife. Magic wasn't readily available in the Ogre camps, or so she imagined, but it was around them. So she needed a myth or a legend of a dagger that was already possessed or documentation of an army or warriors carrying around cursed daggers they could easily misplace. Well…those stories were in no short supply.

_"The Cats Eye Throwing Dagger is able to find the heart of any target", "…the people of King Furgus land were known to use daggers that heated into burning temperatures on contact…", "Daggers of silver are said to ward against werewolves while those of iron protect against fairies…", The Knife of Agora Nicen…", "The Tall Tale of a King and his golden dagger and it's ability to turn any enemy into solid profit!", "…the mysterious disappearance of the Dark One's Dagger..."._

Her heart jumped into her throat at those words. In fact for a moment she felt like the world stopped spinning and she stopped breathing as her body tingled. Had she read that right? " _The Dark One's Dagger"_? The Dark One as in…

Her eyes quickly glanced over at the door and she half expected to find him there, leaning up against it, eyeing her suspiciously. But she was alone. In this little room. No one but Samuel with her. And a book with a very, very tempting passage.

A passage. Just words on a page. They wouldn't hurt anyone. The book was in her library, she could have found it any day and read it! Her heart was leaping in her chest as she held the book closer and looked down at the passage, an image of a small, jagged dagger with purposely unreadable glyphs on it's blade stared back.

_"Perhaps the most sought after piece of weaponry in the world is also the most illusive and mythical. Today, the mysterious disappearance of the Dark One's Dagger is shrouded in unconfirmed tales so thick telling fact from fiction has become nearly impossible. The Dark One has become a monster in the lands of Mist Haven, and a children's fable in other realms used to frighten boys and girls into submission or keep them from lying. However many of the legends of the Dark One's origins suggest that he was once far more monstrous and sinister than he appears to be today._

_"The true origins of the Dark One are numerous. In fact it has been suggested that there are none left in this world that truly know how the Dark One came to be in the realm of Mist Haven. However, nearly all the legends tell of an attempt at redemption for the Creator of the Darkness. After years of watching his Creation wreak havoc not just on the land of Mist Haven but other realms both magical and non-magical the Creator finally saw his Creation for what it was: and abomination. He sought desperately to destroy it, but could not tame the Darkness he'd given life to. In desperation he visited a Sorcerer of Light who crafted for him a vessel of Dark Magic, one that could be used to bind the Darkness to a living being and make it bend it's will to the master of the vessel; a dagger._

_"After months of searching the Creator and the Sorcerer of Light finally confronted the beast. There was no winner in this great battle, but there was a still a great price to be paid. As the closest living soul, before the Darkness could flee, the Sorcerer of Light bound the Darkness and the dagger to the Creator himself as punishment. Thus, legend states that the Creator became the Created._

_"For years The Creator lived attempting to fight off his own creation living inside of him but in the end it proved futile. There was no light in what he'd crafted and so eventually the darkness invaded and began to eat its way into his very heart and soul. This is where legends of the dagger begin to deviate._

_"Some believe that the Sorcerer of Light kept the dagger for himself under the most powerful of protection spells. However when the Sorcerer died so did the protections and the Dark One took the dagger, freed himself, and escaped into the world again. Other tales claim that the dagger was stolen while in the custody of a trusted friend of the Sorcerer. The true nature of this story, like the origins of the Dark One himself, are too many to be told and the truth of each one is undetermined. For centuries the the myth of the dagger has come and gone. Many claim to have possessed it and used it, few have claimed to have seen it._

_"The first, and perhaps most well known, supposed sighting was the tale of a man who, in a jealous rage over his wife's betrayal, demanded the Dark One kill his wife, children, and grandchildren as well as burn their farm to ash. The Creator had no choice but to obey. Legend says that when a local neighbor realized what had happened he stole the dagger for himself. The Dark One begged his new captor for release from his prison but none came and the dagger changed hands dozens of times leaving a trail of bloody and broken bodies behind it until one day the Creator, driven nearly insane by his Creation convinced another man to slaughter him with the promise that he would inherit the power for himself. It was a deal the man could not pass up._

_"Since then, over the centuries there have been only a handful of beings, male and female, to inherit the curse of the Dark One and only a few verified sightings of the supposed dagger. According to legend some have been smart enough to possess the dagger for themselves, others found it in the hands of those wishing to use it for terrible purposes. At the time that I write this passage the location of the Dark One's Dagger is currently unknown and has not been known for at least three decades. It was last believed to be with a noble man who misplaced it in a house fire and many believe that the thief who stole it hid it well and controls the current Dark One, others believe thief has since become the Dark One, while still others boast that the Dark One's Dagger is nothing more than myth and legend, meant to give hope to those living under the shadow of Dark Magic that Light Magic can prevail. The truth remains a mystery."_

Her eyes sought the door again when she finished, still expecting him to be lurking over her shoulder but she was still alone.

Was this true? Or just folklore as the book's author suggested? No one really knew what had happened? It was possible this was all crazy! Nothing in her research on the Dark One, at home or in Arendale, had ever turned up anything like this! And she'd been living in this castle for months now, she knew it perfectly, every nook and cranny, in fact if she thought hard enough she could probably picture every weapon, dagger or not, within these walls. She'd never stumbled upon anything that looked like the picture before her! But then…

No, she hadn't stumbled upon anything. She'd seen something. That night that he'd summoned the Black Fairy, he'd been holding something, a knife that she assumed he would use to hurt the woman but...could it have been more than that?! She'd never really gotten a good look at it, and she hadn't seen it since then.

But he'd never been inside that vault of his. No windows, no doors, the place he kept the most powerful magic, or at least that was what she assumed he kept there. Was it possible he was also keeping…

Next to her Samuel gave another groan as he shifted that nearly made her jump out of her skin. Her heart raced as she checked the door again and slammed the book closed feeling strangely like she'd just walked in on something private, like the remembrance she'd disturbed. Quickly she reached for the cloth and began to pat her friend down again. Whether the dagger existed or not it didn't matter.

What mattered was Samuel and that was definitely not the enchanted item she was looking for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So with this chapter...I wanted to have her learn of the dagger but I didn't want her to know about it for sure, I wanted to save that later for Rumpelstiltskin. So with the passage in the book I tried (as is often my technique) to make it ambiguous so that if we ever really learn the origin of the Dark One, and I do believe we will, or get a story that contradicts that one then I won't have to edit it because the book doesn't promise truth, just truth as the author believes it. K?
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	39. Home Will Be Where the Heart Is

Nothing. It was morning and she still couldn't find anything that helped her. Nothing that identified the wound as perfectly as she would like it to in order to treat it. Not that she could once she'd found it. Magic needed to be treated with magic that was one of the few things she had managed to figure out so far. There was plenty of magic around here but none that she thought she could use. Rumpelstiltskin could could, but at the moment he was…he'd come around. She was beginning to believe that although he was thick skinned he'd eventually give her anything she asked for. He'd returned to the castle with books for her to read and she'd gotten to go to town! Rumpelstiltskin wasn't happy about it and yet Samuel was here wasn't he? That all meant something. He'd help her. When she finally figured out what it was and she needed the magic he'd help her. Of course he would later tell her that he was helping only because it got Samuel out of his castle and probably that would be the truth. Probably he would just want to get peace back in his castle again. Probably that was why he let her get away with a lot of the stuff she got away with. They were trapped up here together, neither of them wanted to deal with each other when they were unhappy or in a poor mood, but…

This wasn't helping Samuel. Her mind was hazy. Blurry. She couldn't remember the last time she'd ever stayed up all night. She knew she had but then she'd been reading some fascinating tale and couldn't put her book down. This…this was difficult. And Samuel! Reading and learning and piecing together small bits of information wasn't easy all on its own, but doing it as she took care of Samuel made it even more difficult. She'd lost track of the number of times she'd wiped his forehead, taken peek after peek at his injured leg, and begged him, pleaded and encouraged him to drink the water she gave him to little avail. She was tired. But she couldn't stop now. She had to keep working. She had to keep doing everything and anything she could to-

"Be…Belle?"

The voice was small and weak, at first she believed that her mind was playing tricks on her because something like that would be too mischievous even for Rumpelstiltskin, but when she picked her head up out of her hand and risked a glance over at Samuel she saw a glorious sight. Smokey grey eyes she was beginning to think she'd never see again.

"Samuel!" she breathed happily, nearly dropping her book as she reached over for him. "You're awake!"

"Is…is that truly you Belle?" he questioned, his eyes roaming everywhere as he blinked his eyes over and over again. She could understand his disbelief. This reunion after all was miraculous.

"Yes, it's truly me," she confirmed with a small laugh in her voice. There was a time that they were best friends, that he knew her better than anyone else. The fact that he didn't recognize who she was now…was that because she was as different as she felt sometimes or was did it speak volumes about what he'd been through? "You're safe now," she assured him, "the ogres can't harm you any longer."

Subtly as possible she reached up and pushed his hair out of his eyes in an attempt to feel his forehead. It was still hot, but he was awake! Was that a sign he was improving in some way? Could this mean the fever was breaking, as her book described it?

"But…this place…" she watched as his eyes roamed confused over the unfamiliar walls and ceiling, obviously nervous and just about to panic, like that time their parents had taken them on a boat to a distant land once as children and he'd misplaced his parents. "Where are we?" he finally asked with a desperate look in his eyes.

Where were they? She wished that she could say something to put his mind at ease, but after everything she'd read and heard before coming here, somehow she doubted that would be possible. "We're in the Dark One's Castle," she answered honestly after a minute. She'd tried to make it sound casual, confident, unafraid even! But she could see by the look in his eyes that it was useless.

"The Dark One?" he questioned with fear flooding his eyes. "I don't understand. Are we…his prisoners?"

"No…well, not exactly," she assured him. He wasn't a prisoner. She was…some days she thought she was. She was certain she was a prisoner to some, her father, her Kingdom, Gaston even. But she didn't feel like a prisoner. Not anymore. But to Samuel, who had disappeared long before she'd made her deal for better or worse, it would be difficult for him to understand all that. "You see, you're not the only one who had to face the ogres…" she began, smoothing his hair down, desperate to do something with her hands.

"Not that long ago," she began, "my father sent word to all the nearby Kingdoms. Our troops were struggling to save our land from the ogres. We needed reinforcements badly, but no one came to our aid. And then…when it was almost too late…someone finally did.

"Rumpelstiltskin. He promised to protect our people from the ogres. But in return he wanted a servant for his castle. So I volunteered to go. My father and fiancé were against it, of course. But in the end, I know I made the right choice to keep our people safe. And now..." she finally picked her eyes up and allowed herself to look around the little room. One of the many that she'd cleaned to perfection and transformed into a welcoming and warm environment, just as she had the rest of her castle. Her castle. Maybe this wasn't just Rumpelstiltskin's home. "This is my new home," she admitted, fighting back a smile. Home. She hadn't even realized that she'd found it.

But Samuel didn't look nearly as comforted by the thought as she did. With energy she was surprised that he possessed he sat forward his mouth open in shock, his eyes wide, "Belle," he breathed reaching for her hand. "We're not safe here," he informed her gently. "We have to leave.

She merely shook her head and pulled away from him. "Samuel, it's all right," she assured him. "Rumpelstiltskin gave me his word that no harm would come to you. Trust me, you'd be dead otherwise!" Still he looked her over amazed, as if he'd seen a ghost or she was suddenly speaking elfish. But he didn't understand. How could he understand when she felt like she barely did some mornings?! The man she knew Rumple was underneath all the masks he wore, how kind and gentle he could be…no, he wouldn't understand. No one would unless they'd been her and the thought of someone else being here in her place?! It upset her.

She sighed and pushed herself off of the bed. He wouldn't understand. And though he was sitting up, she was sure it was just the shock making him so strong. He was still not well. He had a fever and needed water, as much of it as she could get into him while he was awake. And if she expected to heal him so that he could go home then she needed something else from him while he was awake as well.

"Now," she muttered retrieving the pitcher of water and cup and siting back down to give him more water, "try to drink this and tell me how you were rescued from the ogres camps. Or did you escape?" she questioned.

"Well," Samuel sighed, scratching the back of his neck nervously. Nervously. That was odd. He had no reason to be nervous around her. But, she supposed, that was because of where he was, because he didn't trust the Dark One she knew as Rumpelstiltskin. Wasn't it? "It's kind of a long story."

She shook her head and handed him the little cup. Long story or not she needed to know everything to help him properly. "Tell me everything," she encouraged. "Did they make you work or keep you lock up?"

He hesitated as he took the cup and leaned back into the bed, then sat forward and adjusted his shoulders, then his legs, then cracked his neck, then sat forward so he could adjust his shoulders again. She felt itchy suddenly. All his twitching and fidgeting, it was making her nervous! Did it really take that long for him to get comfortable? A bed like this after what he'd been through should have been perfect no matter what! A bed like this compared to her dungeon and she certainly wouldn't have needed that much time to get comfortable. "A little of both, I guess," he finally answered still wiggling around. "You just never knew what would happen on any given day."

Alright. That was something. But she needed details. She wanted to know what his days looked like, each and every one of them! He was her best friend and she wanted to know what had happened to him, how he'd gotten free, what had happened before he'd been free, and most importantly of all- "Wait…" she exclaimed glancing down at his leg. Bandages! She should change those as he told her what she needed to search for, a weapon or an enchantment. "Before you go on…this wound on your leg. It has all the signs of one inflicted by an enchanted weapon. Do you remember what sort of blade it was?" she questioned reaching for the roll of bandages. "I need to know if we're to find a cure for you."

She expected an answer right away. This was of utmost importance to save his life and get him out of this castle that he clearly feared…but only silence came after her question. She glanced over at him, expecting to see him drinking or asleep. But he was awake. Staring down into his cup of water as she began lifting the bandages off of his infected leg. When he finally did lift his eyes to glance at her she saw something unexpected, something that she didn't understand.

Guilt!

She knew Samuel. She knew him better than anyone else in her fathers kingdom and she knew when he felt bad about something! He'd had that same look on his face after her first drawing lesson and she'd shown him what she drawn. He'd lied to her and told her that her awful depiction of a flower was brilliant! Why did he have that look now?

"I don't entirely remember," he finally answered softly. "My head is still…foggy," he muttered, glancing up at her with that guilty expression that made her own stomach turn.

"Of course it is I'm sorry," she apologized right away. Guilt. Was he guilty because he couldn't remember as she pushed him? That wasn't his fault. The thought that she might be making it worse made guilt claw inside of her! Or maybe...maybe it wasn't guilt she saw. Maybe she was just out of practice and what she really saw was shame. Maybe he knew what he'd gone through and just didn't want to tell her. Maybe he was too embarrassed about what had happened. Maybe. "I'll keep going through the books on magical metallurgy and we can talk about it later, all right?" she questioned.

"That sounds like a good idea," he muttered quickly, settling back into his pillows as she took the empty cup from him and began to retie his bandages. She hated that look he'd had. She hated that she'd suggested what she had because of it. Waiting wasn't a good idea! She knew it wasn't. She had to figure out what had happened to him so that she could help him! Even if he didn't want to talk about it, if he was embarrassed, a half story or an embarrassing story between friends was a lot better than what she knew could happen to the body if she didn't figure out what was wrong with him. She could keep looking through the books, figure it out for herself, process of elimination…or she could ask again. She could remind them how they used to be, how they could tell each other everything! She could tell him that she was worried about him. That she really did just want her friend back and to send him on his way healthy again!

But as she opened her mouth and glanced up from the newly bandaged leg to ask him she found his eyes were closed and his mouth was hanging open, slack jawed as he took deep rhythmic breaths. It was too late. He'd fallen asleep again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back to sleep...huh...you'd think our good friend Samuel was hiding something from his old friend...wouldn't you...
> 
> Thank you to Heart_of_a_oncer for your awesome comments! I appreciate the support of course! You are too kind! Peace and Happy Reading!


	40. Secret Motivations

He was asleep again. Deeply asleep. She'd never seen him sleep before but if it was anything like the way she slept then she really shouldn't when she whispered his name and he didn't stir a bit. She had a tendency to sleep like the dead as well. It wasn't until she began to fiddle with him that she realized it wasn't right . If he was awake and his fever was breaking he'd want to sleep with a blanket, so somehow, she still wasn't sure how, she managed to wrangle the blanket out from under him, lay him down properly, and spread the quilt out over him. Sure, he might have been a heavy sleeper in the past…but should he still have been?

She used to be a heavy sleeper as well. Sleeping in until she felt rested enough to wake but being here had changed that in her. She rose with the sun now to do her chores. Now it was normal but originally she'd done it out of fear when she heard Rumpelstiltskin unlock her cell in the morning. She'd been afraid if she didn't rise he would punish her. And Samuel…he'd been missing for a long time! If he'd been held captive at an ogre camp, should he still sleep this deeply? This peacefully? Shouldn't he be fearful? Shouldn't his body have been trained to wake at the slightest thing out of self-preservation?! And she supposed she could take it as a compliment, that he felt safe that she was around but…she'd seen his face when she'd told him where he was. Rumpelstiltskin's Castle. Should he still be able to sleep through even that?!

She'd changed from her dramatic experience, he should have changed from his traumatic one. Trauma. It left an impression, didn't it? So if trauma left an impression how could his memories of it be foggy? He should either have blocked them out completely or remember them perfectly or...or...

She sighed and let herself fall into the chair next to his bed. She just couldn't remember. Or maybe she was remembering wrong. There had been so much information she'd read in the last twenty-four hours. And she hadn't slept, not one wink since yesterday morning, surely that wasn't helping things! The sight of Samuel right now, curled under the covers with his eyes closed…she was envious. Maybe it wouldn't hurt. Maybe if she just stayed by his side and closed her own eyes for a bit she could just…

No!

Her head popped up and she took a deep breath. Movement, she needed to move just like last night, sitting in a chair doing nothing wasn't helping Samuel. She had to keep working, she had to try and figure out what had injured his leg! The sooner she did that the sooner she could sleep. Though that was another terrible thought. Only hours ago she'd wanted to help Samuel because it was the right thing to do, now it almost seemed selfish. But her motivations for wanting to help didn't matter if she was at a dead end.

Nothing. Each book she picked up told her the exact same thing about the cut on his leg. Nothing! It didn't match any of the specialized weapons she found in the book on magical metallurgy. She couldn't locate any kind of magical signature or scar that set it apart from the others and they were all too common a tool for her to truly narrow it down. He could have been injured by an axe, a sword, or a knife. Part of her wished it didn't matter, but according to the books, even if the chances of a cure working were slim, if she couldn't locate the exact weapon that had cursed him then she needed to melt a weapon of similar size, shape, and metal down. She couldn't just guess.

She glanced at Samuel again, at his content sleeping form and began to second guess her idea of just letting him sleep until he was ready to talk. He hadn't said he didn't remember just that it was foggy. Fog could be cleared. Maybe if he talked about it more would come back to him. Painful as it was she had to know what his life had been like to help him. Or did she…

She'd barely taken note of the knapsack hanging from the back of her chair. Rumple had put it up here when he delivered Samuel at the time she'd ignored it because it wasn't important but now…if the stuff inside the bag was Samuel's, then there had to be a reason he'd hung on to it all these years. Maybe there was something inside of it that might help her figure out what had happened to him. Maybe something would give her an idea of what had happened to him to make him look at her with guilty eyes or try to hide something from her. Or at the very least it might help her use something to make his foggy memories clear again. That was always possible.

She didn't really feel guilty as she reached for the bag. This was Samuel after all. They'd gone through one another's stuff all the time when they were little as children often do. There was very little that could surprise her about his personal life. Besides, this was to help him, not for the express reason of snooping through his things and the snoring helped assure her that he wouldn't wake up and catch her. So she pulled the sack onto her lap and opened the flap.

There was nothing that she recognized from her time with him at her father's castle. But then again she hadn't really expected there to be, not after his ordeal. In fact there was very little inside the bag to find at all. A small canteen of water, probably given to him by the men that had found or rescued him after the camp. A compass, a small knife, a couple of biscuits, all things that she expected to find when a person traveled with military frankly. There was a small glass vial there though too, filled with a pink liquid she couldn't identify. A single whiff of it and she turned her nose away before she slammed the cap over it. That was terrible. She had no idea what it was supposed to be used for or why he was carrying it. Something a soldier had slipped in his bag perhaps? She moved it aside and continued onto the last items at the bottom of the bags. A small grey cube with a red dot on it and-

There!

Her heart skipped a beat because she knew this item, though not from before the war. A book, small and lightweight, sloppy binding with a ribbon to mark the place. It wasn't just any book though. It was a blank book, like the journal that she'd kept for a few years as a girl. This could be the key! Had Samuel kept a record of his imprisonment all this time?! It could be exactly what she was looking for but…

When she opened it up she found that the writing wasn't Samuels. Well…not all of it was Samuels. There were scribbles on it everywhere and she wouldn't exactly call the passages she encountered "entries" so much as…details. Items. On nearly every page an item of some kind had been drawn. A locket. An urn. A set of silverware. Some of the items, like the jeweled necklace and a tiara were expensive, but the braid of hair, the blanket…well they hardly seemed to make sense next to the diamond encrusted sword. Until she read the details scribbled next to them.

Written in different handwriting were facts about each item. Someone, for example, had noted that the diamonds on the sword were expensive but not nearly as expensive as the rubies and the sword could be worth more if the jewels were pried off and sold individually. Another had noted where the sword was last seen, who it belonged to…the power it supposedly held. Then there, in the corner in a little box with an arrow pointing to it a different kind of notation. "Gregor's skills are perfect to retrieve the sword with the assistance of Jacob. Following the artifacts retrieval Morgan will take it to his contact to be broken down and the jewels sold for…" her mouth dropped open. No. Surely this didn't mean what she thought it meant? Did it?

She paged ahead, looked at entry after entry, item after item. Some things this…group, she supposed, planned on selling for extraordinary prices, others keeping; "Pieces" they called them to "The Key". It wasn't until the Lost Diadem that she found mention of Samuel. "The crown of a kidnapped Princess from an ancient Kingdom" one man had written. "Last seen in Agrabah, rumored to be moved to Cave of Wonders for safe keeping" Samuel had written. "Worth thousands if retrieved but so called 'cave' is unknown. Samuel will continue to research possible locations and access points. No magical ability. Find buyer."

No magical ability. A buyer. That was the connection. They sold the items that had no magical ability and kept the items that did for "The Key". They were collecting money and power. Mercenaries. But…why would Samuel do this?! How could he have gotten involved in something like this?! His father had power, wealth. After the ogre war he could have returned home and-

Her heart stopped as she turned the page and saw something familiar…too familiar. She hadn't known about it for long, she didn't even know it well enough from the one sketch of it she'd seen to know for sure but the name of the item scrawled atop the page told her that she was right. "Rumpelstiltskin's Dagger." She lost her breath as she read over the entries. "Blade suspected to be made of steel", "name of 'Rumpelstiltskin' should be engraved on the side", "not seen in centuries, best guess is that it resides with the Dark One in his castle. Search and retrieve as soon as possible."

The Dark One's Castle. The image on the opposite page, it wasn't an item, it was a map. A map to the mountain, the town she'd met Rumple on, a map of the castle, with bits and pieces of writing that identified problems infiltrating, magical and not magical, as well as little pieces of stray information about the inside, some of it right some of it wrong. She felt tears well in her eyes as she found her name scrawled in one of the passages next to it as a possible "asset" and her eyes found the important passage on the opposite side blocked out.

"Samuel has history with the Dark One's slave. He will infiltrate, trap the Dark One within the vessel, liberate the woman to do with her as he pleases, find, and take possession of the dagger to be used when all the pieces are in place."

"Oh Samuel," she whispered blinking away tears, "how could you?" Their meeting wasn't by chance, he'd planned it. It was all right here, this time in his own handwriting. Scribbles detailing when she went to the market, the route she took, the stops she made, even what she'd worn. All this time she'd believed he'd been dead...and he'd been spying on her. He'd played on how well he knew her, gained her sympathy and she'd brought him back here. And afterwards she would have been a possession again, no better than when she'd lived in her fathers palace. It was right there in the plan! He would free her and do with her as he pleased. She wasn't high on his priorities here. She was a thing, a perk for getting the dagger. That was all he wanted, another "piece" to the "key".

The Key…what was it?! It was the only thing she hadn't figured out yet, she had to know what it was, why he'd lied to her and deceived her, what this terrible thing was all worth?! She paged through the book hungrily, not caring about the items just looking for…the last page.

"The Key," was written across the top of the page and below, in more foreign writing were words that made her blood run cold. The Key wasn't an item, it was a declaration.

"For too long those who work the hardest for the smallest bit of fortune have been left powerless. The rich and the royals sit in their towers with false truths and irrelevant preconceptions while the poor and beggars live in the world they have forced us to make our way in. We resist this notion that this is the way the world will work and vow to put a stop to it. We will take what is rightfully ours. We will gather our resources so the rich cannot touch us, we will collect magic so the powerful cannot harm us, and we will conquer the land with the Dark One's Dagger in hand so that even fate will not stand in our way. We will overthrow the Kings and Queens of this realm, return their wealth to those they have imprisoned and force those who have never worked into labor of their own. We will use the Dark One to find more power, to end wars, to bring about peace, and right the wrongs in society. This we solemnly promise as Bringers of the New Order."

She snapped the book shut, forced it inside its pouch, and pushed it away from herself. That was…horrible. Disgusting even. What they were talking about wasn't living in fairness it was taking a small percentage and enslaving them just because they'd been leaders. The world wasn't perfect, she knew that but this "new order" they intended on creating wouldn't fix problems only create more when there wasn't enough for everyone. It was poor planning. Though their immediate goals, to capture magic and money were not exactly poorly thought out. And the dagger…

That one book was the only place she'd ever read about it, besides this she'd never heard about it! She honestly didn't know if it was even real! No one had seen it in centuries, it could just be a fairy tale circulated by Rumple himself! But if it was real…Samuel couldn't have it. She couldn't let him enslave Rumpelstiltskin, she couldn't let him even begin to try and accomplish these plans! She had to-

Suddenly there was a sharp knock on the door and she jumped letting out a loud gasp before she heard the familiar holler of "Belle!" come from the other side of the door. Rumpelstiltskin. Here. Now! And Samuel…he couldn't know. He couldn't find out what he was really here to do she just had to…had to…

She had to take a deep breath and see what he wanted. She had to act normal until she could figure out what to do with Samuel. So she checked on her…she didn't even know if "friend" was the right word anymore, but he was still asleep. She stood up, straightened her dress and went quickly to the door.

"I'm glad you aren't too busy with your guest to at least show your face when I call for you," he muttered when she answered the door. "Although I must confess," he sighed leaning up against the wall, "I wouldn't have extended him my hospitality if I'd known how long it would take him to die."

"Samuel's not going to die," she spat back. At least if she had anything to say about it he wasn't going to die. She didn't know what he'd gotten into since the last time she'd seen him but he wasn't going to die! He didn't deserve death at Rumple's hands or anyone's. And Rumpelstiltskin didn't deserve to be enslaved by a magical dagger  _if_ it really existed. She was walking on thin ice. "In fact," she went on hoping that he wouldn't mind thinking that she was going to get him to leave soon, "his fever broke."

"Thanks to your expert touch, no doubt," he sighed almost confidently, like he'd expected that to happen all along. Did he really think that highly of her? Of her touch? "Although fevers have been known to return. Hopefully this little drama will soon be played out. In the meantime the castle is yours, Belle. I have some business to attend to tonight and shan't be back until first light."

Her jaw nearly dropped at the news. That was…perfect! Wonderful really! She could heal Samuel and have him well on his way before Rumple got back. He'd never have to know about what Samuel and his…friends, were really planning for him. And Samuel…he wouldn't get what he was after, if it truly existed. She'd never encountered it here in the castle which meant that if it was real it wouldn't be easy to find. But she'd make sure that Samuel didn't get the chance to look. She had to.

"Then I suppose we'll see you in the morning," she nodded at him before turning back to Samuel. "Good luck, doing whatever it is you do," she muttered at the last minute, remembering that she was trying to act casual. Casual for them meant a certain amount of teasing and that certainly counted as teasing after his "go read a book" comment. But it was useless. When she turned back Rumple was gone and as she headed back in the room she found Samuel just as she'd left him despite the conversation they'd just had. "Oh, good," she sighed, "we didn't wake you." She regretted not waking him in a way.

She only had until morning to figure out how to get him on his feet and out of the castle.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright so let's talk about the other part of this little comic story that was also contradictory. The box Belle found in Samuel's knapsack, it's actually Pandora's box and for those of you who haven't read the comic (spoiler alert) it plays a very important roll in all of this. But...how could it you may ask! When Belle sees it in Rumple's shop in season three I would say she is genuinely stunned and has never seen it before. I asked myself the very same question and wondered how I was going to write around it for weeks until I came to another conclusion, one I used way back to fix the problem with Bae's shawl. I focused more on what isn't said. The box is fairly plain looking, Belle knew what she was looking for and that wasn't it so she set it aside and hardly paid any attention to it, throughout the rest of this arc Samuel holds the box in his hands and never actually names what it is (that's why I simply refer to it as "the vessel" in this chapter), the idea is that she doesn't even really focus on what she's seeing so that later in the shop she's free to have her big "Aha!" moment and everything is left intact. I ya'll think this is a decent way to approach it. I did try my best with it!
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	41. Lies On Top of Lies

Rumple was gone. Off to some far off region she'd only ever heard of and would never see and for the first time she just didn't care. Samuel was still here. Asleep and injured or not she knew that he wasn't here by accident and that if he stayed beyond morning, beyond the time that Rumpelstiltskin was due to return, then one of them would not be safe. In anger Rumple would kill Samuel or in greed Samuel would make a slave of the Dark One and use him to completely overturn the world as they knew it. It was wrong, and terrible, and…it was inhuman. She knew that Rumpelstiltskin didn't see himself as human but after all this time she felt like she was incapable of seeing him as anything but a man who allowed a terrible curse to grow in the hole she knew he had in his heart. Whether the dagger was real or not, and she still wasn't ready to say that it was, enslaving him or forcing him to do anything against his will good or not was not right.

She was walking a very thin and treacherous line. And to top it all off she was exhausted from lack of sleep as an overwhelming amount of information swirled in her head and her stomach growled. But she couldn't stop now. The sun was going down, Samuel was asleep, Rumpelstiltskin was gone, there was no one to prepare dinner for so she had to push through. She had to figure out what was wrong with Samuel so that she could heal him and send him on his way, empty handed, without Rumple ever knowing what he had come here to do.

She spent most of her afternoon in the library. Knowing what Samuel had done, what he was trying to do and how he'd planned on just using her and their friendship to further such ridiculous beliefs and morals…she didn't want to be around him in that little room. He was sleeping and though he was still injured his fever was finally breaking. She was certain that he wasn't going anywhere and would be fine on his own for a while. And her…it was time to fight fire with fire.

Magic. She didn't know what Samuel had done but supposedly the wound had been infected by magic. It needed to be healed with magic. Her books just didn't have the magic that she needed to know about to get him out of the castle by morning. So for the first time she entered Rumpelstiltskin's tower, without permission, without the intention to clean. She eyed his books carefully, looking for just the right one because it turned out that he had several that were far more helpful than her own in the library had been. "I promise I'll return them," she swore into the air as she took a pile into her arms and went back to work in her own tower again.

But that only turned into her downfall. She was comfortable there and even with the pressure of curing Samuel hanging over her it had just been too long since she closed her eyes, let her head lull against something soft, and felt her chest move in heavy blissfully deep breaths that only led to-

"Tea!" she exclaimed, pulling her head off the back of her couch and flexing her fingers and arms to try and wake her body up with movement. She was so close! This time tomorrow she could sleep all day she just needed to get this done! And with this book she finally believed that she was getting closer. This book was perfect. Sketch after sketch of knives and swords, detailing popular and easy ways to enchant them, what those enchanted wounds might look like, and how to reverse the effects of those enchantments. This was what she'd needed all along! She was close, she just had to stay awake long enough to finish on time.

The smell of her kitchen helped. Setting the water to boil and nibbling on a few odds and ends she had around as she read helped a lot! And now, as much as she didn't want to, she had another trip to make. She didn't have to prepare him dinner, but he needed to know that she knew why he was here and he wasn't welcome. Maybe if he knew he'd tell her what he'd done to himself so she could get him to leave. And if he didn't? If he still refused then he had to leave by morning. For Rumple's freedom and for his own safety.

"Don't worry Samuel," she whispered as she poured him a cup of tea, "we're going to heal that wound and have you out of here before anything really bad can happen to you…or to Rumpelstiltskin." And with that she hefted the book into her arms again, held the tea in her hand and began the ascent to the room Rumple had left him in. She hoped he'd understand, she hoped that he'd help her help him. And most of all she hoped that he'd give up this strange search for a mythological weapon that might not exist as well as leave behind the people that had swept him up into those ideas! They had clearly had a bad influence on him, and the search for the dagger...it was fruitless! She'd searched, against her better judgement she couldn't help it as she'd gone through her-his books and found no other reference to the Dark One's Dagger. There were of course pages missing from his books and she couldn't help but wonder if maybe he'd-

"Samuel!" she heard herself gasp as she arrived on the landing. The tea slipped unnoticed from her fingers and the book slammed shut when she jumped at the unexpected sight. She wasn't seeing this was she? It just wasn't possible! Samuel! He hadn't had the energy to make it more than a few steps before and yet here he was, standing…walking?! "Your leg…" her eyes searched the area that she knew the wound was-had been? Did it matter? It certainly didn't appear to be a problem at the moment. "You can walk!" she exclaimed.

"Belle," her old friend looked at her with sympathetic and sad eyes for a moment before he sighed and reached into his bag. "I suppose it's time I told you why I'm really here," he muttered retrieving that little grey and red cube that she'd seen in his bag. She hadn't taken a close look at it before because she was too interested in the book but the way he pulled it from his bag, the way he was holding it now...should she have paid it more attention? Slowly he moved closer to her, looked her over, daring her to say something to him but she just couldn't manage words. Maybe it was because she wasn't prepared maybe it was because she was tired but things seemed to suddenly be going too right and too wrong all at once!

He could walk! His leg was healed and he could leave now!

But he wasn't going to because he had something to tell her, something that she already knew! She'd gotten everything she wanted. Just not necessarily in the order she wanted. How was she going to get him to go now?

"The truth is…" Samuel sighed coming face to face with her and holding the grey cube out for her to see. She couldn't look at it, she couldn't take her eyes off of Samuel's because her heart was breaking. She knew that look he had in his eye and it didn't matter what he was going to say because she already knew that it was going to be a lie. "Your father sent me here to rescue you," he finally spat out.

"What?" she finally questioned. Her father?! No. He was lying she knew that he was lying and he should know that she knew he was lying. Didn't they know each other well enough for that. "But you were traveling with a convoy of soldiers…and your wound…you're telling me it was all a  _lie_ ," she pushed angrily. She just wanted to get the truth out of him. To know why he was working with this strange group of people, how he'd so easily fallen prey to their extreme and diluted beliefs! She was his friend. They had been friends. She deserved the truth, the true truth!

"I'm sorry about my deceit, but it was the only way I could get inside this castle," he answered taking another step toward her that she rejected. At least she knew that wasn't a lie. The book had proven that much to her but she wanted to hear him tell her the real reason he was here. Not give her a story about her father trying to rescue her. He knew she couldn't be rescued. He should know that she wouldn't allow herself to be rescued. "And now that I'm here, I'm going to imprison Rumpelstiltskin forever!" he went on, making her stomach turn over. That was only part of his plan. "The vessel I hold in my hand is capable of ending his reign of terror. And once it does you can finally return home."

It was his smile. The way that he was sneering at her with a twisting grin she'd never seen before made her skin crawl. He was her friend, but he wasn't the same man that she'd once known. And clearly she wasn't the woman that he'd once known…he just didn't realize that yet.

"But…" she swallowed as she shook her head and crossed her arms over herself. She felt cold standing next to him and she was certain that was not an effect of a sleepless night. "I made a promise," she informed Samuel. "To be betraying him…it would be wrong."

"Wrong?!" Samuel growled stepping closer to her than she wanted him to be at the moment. "How many people has the Dark One wronged? How many lives as he destroyed with his evil?" he questioned reaching for her shoulder and clutching it so tight she couldn't pull away. She'd bruise in the morning because of it but it didn't matter to her because she knew where he was getting those idea's from and she knew they were partially true. His reputation…it was one that he had earned over time and it was crafted to scare others. He was concerned for her, desperate to get her help because he believed that she was within the clutches of a monster, but she just didn't see that when she looked at Rumpelstiltskin. There was more to his story she just knew it. People were more than the sum of their deeds good and bad and Rumpelstiltskin…he might not be good, but she wasn't entirely sure he was evil either. His curse on the other hand-

"If you helped me capture him," Samuel stated suddenly relaxing his grip and lowing his voice, "you would be a hero, Belle. All I need you to do is tell me where I can ambush him. When he returns from his mischief, I'll trap him in this box, and then the Enchanted Forest will never have to worry about the Dark One again. And neither will you."

Her eyes filled with tears as she looked in his eyes and saw that look again. It was the one that told her he was lying to her again. She knew the truth, what he and his group of radicals planned to do and if she let him take her…whatever he was, the Enchanted Forest would not be any better off. In fact they might fear him more than they did now if the dagger was real and he managed to locate it. And her?! She'd never live with herself if she let Samuel take a man by force. Especially not when that man was the one that had been known to go out looking for mischief and return empty handed but with a book for her.

Samuel thought he was offering her freedom, he didn't understand. She already had freedom because she'd chosen this life for herself. And what he was asking her to do…there was choice to be made again. Only it wasn't a choice at all.

"You're right," she sighed looking at him, hoping that he wouldn't see the lie in her own eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...what happened to Samuel, Treatian/Moments head canon and why have I made this more complicated than it should seem necessary. In Moments Lost Samuel is the son of a noble that is very...shall we say disenchanted with his life, forced much like Belle to one day marry and be a noble himself he sees himself as a pawn in a chess board. He is drafted into the ogres war but because of his status he's of course given the special treatment. He and Belle remain friends while he's away, they write to each other and then the letters stop and when Belle investigates she finds the camp has been attacked and a soldier tells her that he is probably dead but that's not all he says. He tells her that the ogres took a few of the soldiers after the attack some of the men got away and fled to the woods, some were taken. My head canon (because I can't find a place to really explain it in here) is that Samuel was one of the men that got away and fled into the woods. But without records he knew he'd be counted among the dead and saw a way out of the life he detested. He decided to remain dead. However like a true rich boy Samuel didn't realize how hard the world really was and found it hard to rebuild his life based on nothing but a spoiled childhood, he found the group of rebels, they took them in, and eventually Samuel ends up here.
> 
> "But Treatian, why the rebels, why not just go with what Samuel says?" Great question. Let me answer you. Because it makes 0 sense. Belle's father, a man that clearly detests and fears everything magical just so happens to have in his possession Pandora's Box and Belle never knows it? A man that is afraid because he has dealt with and lost to Rumpelstiltskin at least once in his life is willing to suddenly perform a covert operation to get a dagger? And finally, (spoiler alert) when Samuel doesn't return back to the Kingdom successfully he's just okay with Gaston saying "My plan is to knock on the door and demand he set her free!" Yeah...right... It just didn't make sense to me that it was Belle's father. So, readers digest, in Moments Samuel is lying to Belle because he hasn't had time to find the dagger and now he's trying to get her to help him by promising she'll go back to her father. The end! Thank you for your comments Heart_of_a_oncer! I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter!Peace and Happy Reading!


	42. One Trick Before Another

Months ago before she'd ever come to stay here she never would have thought she'd see the day that she would choose Rumpelstiltskin over her once-dead best friend but Samuel…he wasn't the man that she remembered. Or she wasn't the woman he remembered. Or maybe it was a little bit of both. But she couldn't let Samuel do what he and his new friends were trying to accomplish here behind her back. And she certainly couldn't let Rumple harm Samuel. No matter who he was now she'd brought him here of her own free will and she wouldn't be able to live with herself if Rumple discovered why he was here and killed him. She had to get him out of the castle now, mission unfulfilled. Until this moment she had no idea how she was going to force him out. He was bigger than her, no doubt stronger as well, but as he held that grey thing in front of her and asked for a place to hide, a place to surprise Rumpelstiltskin she knew exactly how unprepared he was for this phase of his plan. And she knew what she could do.

"I'll show you where to go," she muttered slipping out from under his grasp and rubbing her shoulder where he'd touched and squeezed it. It was perhaps a little irrational, but she felt dirty where he'd placed his hand and she wanted him out of her home this very minute.

"Hurry," she exclaimed setting her book on a table and glancing at the stairs. It was now or never. "If you wait for Rumpelstiltskin in his private chambers you'll take him completely by surprise. Follow me!" she shouted and then gathered her skirts and proceeded down the stairs in the opposite direction of his "private chambers". But just as she'd hoped for Samuel didn't know where he was in the castle and followed her without a thought. He kept up with her, his leg obviously fully healed and back to proper working order though how he'd managed to do it so fast while her back was turned she just couldn't fathom!

"What's the rush?" he huffed suddenly from behind her.

The rush was she needed him far away from this mountain before Rumpelstiltskin returned! But she certainly couldn't tell him that… "You want to be well hidden before he returns don't you?!" she shouted breathless over her shoulder. "We can't take any chances."

At the bottom of the steps she turned and led Samuel away from the front door, despite the fact that she wanted nothing more than to send him through there. But it was too obvious, too suspicious, and if she didn't get him out of his own free will then he could over power her and she knew that a disaster would occur when Rumple returned. It had to be another door. "Follow me," she insisted quickly, trying not to give him a moment to think as she pushed open the door to their common room and escorted him across to the steps that led to her small dungeon. "Just follow me down these stairs, we're close."

"In the basement?" Samuel questioned behind her. "Wouldn't he live-"

"Upstairs where it's obvious?" she questioned abruptly. "He's a smart man. Too smart to do something as simple as that. The room he has upstairs is a decoy but fortunately he trusts me. I know where he really lives!" Lies. All lies on every count. Including the bit about Rumpelstiltskin trusting her. Secretly, though her mind was swimming with exhaustion, adrenaline, and frustration she wished that he could see this. It would certainly prove her to be trustworthy to him but in the end, for Samuel's safety she supposed she'd simply have to tell him a lie too. Maybe trips to the marketplace needed to stop.

The minute she slammed into her kitchen she went to the table and pulled out a set of keys. She'd never needed them but she'd figured out what they belonged to the first time she found them. If Samuel wasn't smart then she wouldn't need them frankly, but he was smart and he knew to expect something more than just a door. "Through here!" she exclaimed pointing to the door across the room.

"The pantry?" he scoffed. That was what she'd been afraid of. "Are you planning to feed me first?" he questioned as he followed her. She shook her head as she put the key into the already unlocked door, locked it, then quickly unlocked it again.

"Rumpelstiltskin's sanctum has enchantments all around it," she swallowed opening the door for him and slamming inside. "Going through the pantry is the best way to avoid them. Trust me, I've learned a thing or two about outsmarting the Dark One while Living in his castle."

She assumed Samuel believed her. But he didn't say anything and she didn't look back to examine his face or give him time to question it, she merely pressed on into the back hallway and the door that led out into the back gardens. It was guarded only by a single beam of steal, but the wood had never been particularly sturdy. She hoped that the wood would hold for her now. "Are we almost there?" Samuel asked catching up to her.

"Yes!" she exclaimed catching her breath and pointing at the door. "Just through there! Now…" she let out a grunt as she tried to heft the metal bar up and out of the way of the door. "You go ahead of me…" when she let out another sound Samuel was suddenly beside her, helping her lift it up as it should be. "And I'll make sure this…" together they moved the bar out of the way, "this falls back into place." She felt her heart squeeze as she looked over at him. He wasn't gone entirely. The man that had just offered her help was very much the Samuel she'd known as a child, always willing to assist her no matter what the issue. She hoped that he'd find himself again, that he'd leave the group of friends that he'd found and abandon the terrible quest they were on. Maybe someday they'd meet again. But all things considered it was probably better if they didn't.

"We can't leave any clues about what we're up to," she told him as she opened the door a crack, hoping he wouldn't feel the cold wind outside or smell the flowers beginning to bloom. She was hoping by the time he saw them, it would all be too late.

Quickly, her excited friend moved around her. She held her breath happy and sad when he turned his back on the outside world and stepped through the trap looking at her and not at what truly lay ahead. "Thank you, Belle," he breathed through the small crack, "for your bravery. This plan couldn't succeed without you."

She felt her heart break as he smiled at her, but it was what she saw in his eyes that gave her courage. He was still lying about what he was really doing and what he was truly using her for. She couldn't allow it.

So, with a hard swallow she nodded her head. "I know it," she muttered. Then, before he could even register the motion she reached out, pushed his unprepared body the rest of the way out the door and slammed the wood closed with a loud bang, allowing the heavy metal bar to slide safely over the door. Almost immediately she turned her back on it, holding it closed and preparing for what she knew would come, hoping it was enough to keep him out.

For a moment there was silence. Then his muffled voice came through from the other side, through the window just above her head. "Belle, what…this isn't a sanctum!" he cried in horror and anger. "I'm outside! Damn it!"

"I know that too," she admitted, her voice barely loud enough for him to hear her as the door behind her suddenly began to bend and shift with pressure as Samuel banged against it.

"Belle, have you gone mad?" he screamed outside hitting the door harder. "What are you doing? Let me in!"

But no matter how strong he was now it was useless. The metal bar held strong and the door remained closed. "Samuel," she groaned as she pulled herself away from the door. "You need to leave. Right now. If Rumpelstiltskin finds you out there…" she sighed and took another step away. This was right. This was the only way to ensure that everyone, including Rumpelstiltskin, would be safe. "I saved your life once. I can't promise that I'll be able to do it again. He's going to be especially unforgiving once he realizes what you intended to do to him," she informed him, finally revealing that she knew the reason he'd been here all along. If nothing else he needed to live with the guilt. Maybe that would make him find new friends.

"But how can you do this to me?" he asked, his head peeking through the window. She turned away and refused to look at him. This was much more than she ever wanted to deal with. "We've been friends since we were children! Don't you want to come home to your father? He misses you so!"

She felt herself snap. He really was going to continue to tell her that old lie?! She'd told him that she knew why he was really here and he was still lying to her? Maybe it was hopeless. Maybe the boy she'd once known as a girl was no longer locked away inside of him. Some days she felt like the girl she'd once been bore little resemblance to the woman she was here. And there was a reason for that.

"I made a promise," she insisted as she leaned against the wall and held her arms over her stomach in a worthless attempt to keep her pain and grief at bay against her pride. "And I'm a woman of my word. Besides, Rumpelstiltskin may be The Dark One, but he doesn't deserve to be tricked like this and he certainly doesn't deserve to be trapped in a box for eternity!" she declared proudly.

The banging stopped for a moment and she hoped that he'd gotten the idea and left, she hoped he was on his way when-

"Belle!" he screamed smacking his palms against the window and making her crumple with every cry. She felt like she was mourning him all over again. Just like the day she'd been told that he was presumed dead. "Please! Let me in! Belle!"

But it was useless. She'd never see him again after today. Whether it was because he was gone, off on some unknown adventure or because Rumple found him…she hoped it was the former, feared it would be the latter, but either way she'd done everything that she could. And now it had to be done. "Good-bye Samuel," she whispered in his direction. With any luck he'd see she was done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pretty straightforward chapter right? Not too much to say about it. Only one more chapter for this little arc. I had to get us back to square one somehow and I hope that you'll like how it ends! Questions, comments, concerns?
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	43. What Trust Got Her

She was trying hard not to cry despite the fact that Samuel was making it impossible for her to pick herself up off of the wall. She loved him. All her life she'd loved him. As a friend. As a brother. A kindred spirit; an adventurer behind the walls of a palace. Even after she'd found herself bound to Gaston she'd dared to wonder if she could love Samuel as something more than a friend. But that was over and done. This Samuel, the one banging at the door begging her for entrance, lying to her because deep down he had to know that his plot to over throw the Enchanted Forest was wrong…that wasn't the boy that she'd loved her entire life. Whether the ogres had killed him or not, Samuel was gone.

"Well, well, well," her blood chilled as she glanced up and the sound of hands slowly clapping filled the air. Rumpelstiltskin. He was back early. And beaming ear to ear as she leaned against the wall and Samuel's cries stopped. "What an opportune time for me to return home," he sneered stepping closer to her. "I had the chance to see some of what transpired with your _friend._ "

Her jaw dropped as her stomach knotted. What was it that her nurse used to tell her? Be careful what you wish for? She'd wanted him to see her stand up to Samuel, to defend him, but not like this! Not at the cost of Samuel! That's why she'd done all this. "Rumple," she swallowed nervously, pushing herself up and doing her best to face him as she was. "I'm sorry. I didn't…"

"That's quite all right dearie," he growled with a menacing look in his eyes. Suddenly he took another step forward and held out his hand. With a now familiar poof of magic that silly grey cube that Samuel had in his possession was suddenly in his hand. "As it happens," he went on looking it over, "I've had my eye on this little trinket for some time. Never was able to get my hands on it…but now your compatriot has delivered it right to me."

Samuel.

She turned back at the sudden remembrance. His face was in the window, wide eyed, looking at the two of them interact. She'd tried to prevent this, tried to save him from this, because she honestly didn't know if she could…but that didn't mean she wouldn't try. She took another nervous smile and glanced back at her captor. "What about Samuel?" she asked softly, looking from him to that…box? "What will you do to him?"

He stared at her for a moment, the silence stretching so endlessly between them that for a moment she thought he was doomed to live out the remainder of his life in Robin Hood's old cell. But then… "Don't worry, Dearie," he dismissed quickly, "I won't kill him. I promised you I wouldn't, and I am a man of my word. I'm merely sending him somewhere…a bit less comfortable." And with that he let out a playful giggle and snapped his fingers. She turned to look back at the window and saw the purple plume of smoke that revealed nothing when it finally disappated. It was done then. Samuel was gone. And less comfortable or not maybe that was the best way he could have handled it. Now Samuel couldn't meet his friends, he couldn't be involved in any plot to turn the Enchanted Forest into anarchy, and now this friends wouldn't succeed in their plan because they were missing the most important piece. Samuel was safe. The Enchanted Forest was safe. And so was-

"I suppose I should be grateful that you stopped him from relegating me to this terrible fate," Rumpelstiltksin spoke softly, tapping the side of the box with a single finger. His smile was strange. It was no longer gleeful or full of playfulness. It was shy almost. Awkward. And the way he was back to avoiding her eyes…it made her stomach turn over. "I don't imagine there's much room to stretch one's legs inside this box," he exclaimed suddenly, glancing up at her with his mask firmly in place. But it didn't matter, she'd seen what she'd seen. And she knew what he didn't want her to. "I'm quite touched by what you did."

He was thanking her! Not with the actual words that she so desperately wanted to hear but it was nearly as good. And for some reason the thought of hearing those exact words from him, right this moment, over what had happened it made her stomach do another nervous roll and a blush creep up her neck. Maybe that was a step they just weren't quite ready for yet in whatever relationship this was becoming.

"I hate to disappoint you," she muttered after a moment, wishing her heart would stop hammering and she wouldn't suddenly feel so cold, "but I didn't throw Samuel out just to save you. I did it for the people of the Enchanted Forest."

His mask faltered again and this time when he smiled she could see his amusement. "Oh?" he smirked. It made her feel like she was transparent, like he could see straight through her and knew the real reason that she'd done what she'd done. But…but she wasn't lying! Not entirely! She had been thinking of the Enchanted Forest in part.

"I wanted so badly to believe Samuel's story," she informed him quickly, trying to make him see, truly see all of what she'd done, "but something about it didn't make sense from the beginning. And when he wouldn't give me a proper answer about what he'd been through, I went through his things. I soon discovered it wasn't a coincidence that I found him in the marketplace. I was just a means to an end," for a moment she thought she was going to choke on her tears, but instead she held her head up high as she remembered what came next and what she'd read over the last few days. Was it a myth or was it true?

"Samuel had a map to this castle," she went on carefully, "and a drawing of your Dark One Dagger," she watched his expression, trying to find fear or recognition, but his eyes held as they were. She couldn't decipher if it was true or not. Maybe if she pushed just a little further… "That's when I realized…he was a mercenary.

"He came here to seize your dagger so he could control you with it. He and his men intended to use you to plunder the Enchanted Forest. There was no way I could let that happen, so really," she reasoned with an accusing finger, "it all went much beyond your well-being."

"I see," he drawled almost sounding saddened. She'd mentioned the myth of the dagger and got almost nothing out of him. She mentioned that she hadn't done what she'd done just to save him and suddenly he looked disappointed almost. It shouldn't have, but it made her smile. Samuel wasn't who she'd once known him to be, she wasn't the person that she'd once known herself to be…and neither was Rumpelstiltskin. If the dagger was real, truly attached to his curse of evil that mean that there wasn't always a time that he was like this. She wondered if he could ever truly be the man he'd been before all this. If he could ever…

Suddenly she realized just how close she was to him and she felt herself flush with surprise. Their new found closeness, she liked it, but it was still strange. And the room kept spinning around her, making that feeling in her stomach even worse. She really needed to sleep. Yes, this would all be better after she'd finally had a good night sleep.

"I think that's enough excitement for one night," she commented stepping away and looking at the shocked and stunned look on his own face. Strange feeling or not, it still made her smile. "I'm off to bed," she muttered turning on her heel and heading down the hall. But he wasn't following, she couldn't hear his footsteps behind her after everything that he'd witnessed she couldn't help but wonder if what she'd done and what he'd witnessed had been worth it, if they'd had the desired effect on him. She wondered if she impressed him at all, in an important way she couldn't quite put words to. Or better yet…

"But first, one question…" she muttered glancing over her shoulder at him. "After everything that's happened tonight, do you finally trust me?"

Nothing. At least not an answer that was verbal. His eyes widened and he took a small step back at her suggestion as if he'd been struck. She knew the answer just by that alone, but also in the way that he'd kept his word to her and spared Samuel and accepted her answer that it hadn't just been him she was rescuing. "Never mind," she muttered, her smirk and blush growing by the minute. "I already know the answer," she replied, wishing him good-night. Good-night. After everything that had happened tonight, a good-night sleep, even on the cot in her dungeon would be-

"Belle!" she stopped dead in her tracks at his call and glanced back at him. In a second the box disappeared from his hand and was replaced with her cloak, the one she'd worn yesterday to- "whether I do trust you to come back from the marketplace or not, I clearly can't trust the rest of the world not to use your naivety to find their way into this castle and leave unharmed again." She watched as he found the magical fastener that he'd given her, unhooked it from her cloak, and melted the thing between his fingers in a matter of seconds; destroying it. Her jaw dropped. That was it?! After all she'd done for him he was just going to take her one privilege of going to the village away?! It wasn't as though she'd enjoyed it as much as she thought she would but it was the principle!

"But-!"

"But!" he piqued quickly cutting her off. "If you'll follow me I have something that might make up for it a bit for the loss of your beloved village." Without giving her a chance to fight or answer he moved quickly around her and began to ascend the stairs. She supposed that she could ignore him, storm angrily off to her room in protest that nothing would make up for what he'd just done. But…as she watched him stride determinedly up the stairs she had to admit, she was a bit curious to see what he thought could make up for no longer being allowed to go to the marketplace.

With a frustrated sigh she gave in and followed him, one step after another. Up the stairs. Through their room. Into the entry way. Up the stairs again. Down the hallway on the second floor until they arrive in…Samuel's room? She looked around the place, utterly confused. It was just as she remembered. The blankets and sheets would need cleaned. The cups and bowls of water needed taken away. She'd have to figure out something to do with his bag. And there…by the side of his bed, lying on the floor perfectly empty was that bottle that had once held a strange unidentifiable liquid. Now she understood. That must have been how he'd healed himself so fast. He'd had the cure all along. He'd taken advantage of her in a terrible way.

"I don't understand," she sighed as she looked back at him. "You want me to…clean it?"

"Obviously," he sighed sarcastically. "And then I'd like you to stay in it."

"Excuse me?!" she exclaimed looking at the room, trying to put it all together. Had he really just said, had he really just done, what she thought he had?! "You want me to…to stay here? Out of the dungeon? You're…you're giving me my own bedroom? A real bedroom?"

"Now, now, don't go and work yourself up over a practicality," he hissed through a clenched jaw. "I'm nearly hoarse from screaming for you so often when you are reading in the library or down in the dungeons. This is far more suitable for you to attend to my needs and your chores in almost no time at all!" She felt like she didn't have any air left in her lungs. It was laced with work, just like the gift of her library had been but she knew his tricks now, she knew his looks and his smiles and sighs and she knew, she knew without a doubt, what this really was.

"Thank you!" she breathed, fighting back grateful tears. "I…" she wanted so badly to reach forward and hug him as she had the last time, ironically enough that had been when he'd given her permission to go to the market but tired as she was tonight, she didn't want to risk making either of them any more uncomfortable than they already were. Besides, part of her wondered if he might actually hug her back, and she wasn't sure what she'd do if they started doing something like that around one another. "Thank you," she concluded gratefully once more. For now it would have to do.

"Oh, don't thank me Dearie," he smiled wickedly as he turned and walked out the door, "the dungeon shall always be there!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Comic Book arc done! Technically the comic ended at the whole "do you trust me" thing but like I said, I had to find some way to get her out of the market so that when he mentioned going to town in 1x12 she would sound thrilled about his trusting her again. It fit in quite well and this chapter also gave me another excuse to do something more. Belle's cell...when he tosses her in at the end of Skin Deep it's empty and Moments aside I always found it suspect that it was barren. I figured after months of living with him she would have collected something of it and when she'd left I figured he wouldn't have gone down right away to clean it up. I always kind of suspected she didn't stay there long and after a while he would have given her a room. This chapter gave me a perfect excuse to include that in here. I hope you think that it's been a reasonable arc and like the additions!
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	44. The Devil's Miracle

She wouldn't call him her friend, not yet at least, but to say they were master and slave was wrong too. She would have thought that after he realized what happened with Samuel things would change for the worse between the pair of them, but on the contrary, they only seemed to get better just as the weather got warmer.

She had a bedroom now. As he'd instructed, she cleaned out the room that Samuel had stayed in, tried her hardest to erase the memories of that experience as best she could and then taken up residence herself. Now she had a real bed and mattress and blankets. She had a closet to put her clothes in, and she'd even woken up one morning to find a small bookcase against the wall to stash a few of her favorites in her room. And it seemed little coincidence that all her favorites just so happened to be the books that he brought her from far off lands. Of course, he still left her alone on trips out of the castle, but now there seemed to be an unspoken tradition of bringing her back a book that represented the place that he'd gone to in some way. After she'd read it, she would guess where it was he'd visited. Sometimes it easy enough to identify, especially when the place was named in the book, other times the story only truly represented the culture and they both laughed as she tried to decipher the clues he'd left her. And afterward, the book and all she'd learned from it always seemed to be the favorite topic over tea. She lapped up the details he had to add about the place he'd been, and she enjoyed feeling like he was taking her with him in some strange way.

And she liked the way he became antsy and almost excited as she took more time than he assumed she would to read one of the books that he'd left her. Today was quite obviously one of those days. She should have had this book finished days ago, but a couple of minor events had put her behind. Namely, when he'd returned with the book, his clothes had been a nasty shredded mess! He'd insisted he'd just get rid of them, but she'd taken a sewing kit to them and mended them to the best of her abilities, which happened to be quite good given it was one of the few things women were all but required to learn whether they wore a crown or not. Still, sewing took attention to detail, and she could not very well read as she did it, though she had tried as a younger girl.

The result was that he was ready for her to finish that book, excited for it. At night when he spun and she read she caught him looking up at the sound of every page turning and when she got up to fetch something, on more than one occasion she'd found him examining the fabric she used as a marker to identify her spot in the book. He was eager for her to finish, and if she was honest about it she was enjoying the knowledge that for once something she was doing held his full attention whether he wanted to admit it or not.

"Is there something I can help you with?" she commented across the room after tea was over. She'd sat down while she waited for the laundry to dry to read for a bit more and once again was struck by the way he kept looking over at her to check on her progress. She had maybe twenty more pages to go and for the first time in her life found herself shamelessly drawing those pages out. "You keep looking over here, is there something I can get for you?"

He stared at her, those unsettling eyes boring into her with a conflict she could read easier than the words on the page in front of her. His common response would be to ask why his maid felt she could read, but he knew well enough that asking that would result in her dropping the book and leaving to do some chore or other. But he couldn't just admit that he was waiting for her to finish the book either. To do something like that would be so against the very man Rumpelstiltskin was he might just tear himself in two if he did something like that.

"Merely wondering why my maid has so much free time on her hands," he finally answered, giving the only predictable answer he could. "Perhaps I need to assign you more chores."

"Perhaps you do," she smirked placing the fabric marker in her book once more and setting it aside. "Tell me, Rumpelstiltskin, what have I neglected to take care of?"

It was a challenge. And a good one. He was a packrat, the filth she'd encountered when she'd first set foot in this castle hadn't and didn't bother him at all. He likely had no idea how she'd managed to clean it all and likely didn't care how she kept it sparkling. But he knew that she was busy every day, dusting, polishing, washing…how would he know what she'd done and left undone?

"The entryway looked a bit dusty to me," he made up on the spot, pointing at the door and screwing up his face in a way that told her he was trying to taunt, or just seem overbearing. What he didn't know was that she was prepared for it and immediately rose from her seat and stretched her hands over her head.

"I'll dust it then-"

"Good."

"And while I'm at it I may as well polish the floor, wash the windows, maybe do a bit of gardening to collect some new flowers…that should keep me busy for the rest of the day."

The hand he'd used to point with suddenly curled into a fist that he couldn't quite keep still and she knew just by looking at him that he regretted saying what he'd said for it would delay their conversation by at least another day. But the knowledge of what she'd done had her smiling all the way to the closet she kept her cleaning supplies in. Knowing she'd accomplished this little prank would be well worth the extra work she'd have to do.

He didn't remain in the room after she left, naturally. With her gone, there was nothing left for him to do so he retired to his tower as the light faded and she filled her buckets with water. She'd just finished dusting the table and had only to dispose of the flowers outside to-

The door burst open before she could open it and she snatched her hand back quickly, jumping at the unexpected action.

"Rumpelstiltskin!" cried a man's voice. She watched as he stormed into their great hall to look around. Finding nothing he paced and cried out again. "Rumpelstiltskin! You there, is he here?!"

The shock of it all had taken her breath away and she was still struggling to put together what had happened when he turned to face her. At first, she thought he was a hunchback, he walked with such a weight on his shoulders she thought it was some kind of deformity but it didn't take long to recognize the long blond hair tumbling down his shoulder and the hand he held in his own. His skin was pale and his own hair was so dark a brown it was almost black in the candlelight. But as she stared at his hand she realized that it wasn't a hunchback or deformity he carried. But a body of a girl, a young child by the look of it. Her skin was blue.

"Hey!" he yelled looked at her and snapped his fingers. "Is he here?!" His eyes were wide, almost fearful and without giving herself permission she felt herself nod and look toward the stairs. Usually, he'd made an appearance by now!

"He's in his tower isn't he?" the man realized, following her gaze. But before she could answer 'yes' or 'no' he was off, bounding up the stairs with the blue-skinned girl as if she weighed nothing at all, crying out "Rumpelstiltskin" the entire way. She chased after him. He didn't like to be interrupted and he wouldn't like being called like that especially if he was working.

"You shouldn't do that! Don't go up there!" she cried. But the man didn't listen and she continued to give chase, amazed that he didn't seem to be lost in the maze of halls and knew exactly the route he needed to take to get to the top of Rumple's tower. She matched his pace, huffing and puffing as he wasn't and in the end as if by miracle they arrived in the tower at nearly the same time.

"I'm sorry he wouldn't stop!"

"Rumpelstiltskin!"

"Jefferson…to what do I owe the pleasure?" he asked, his eyes shifting from her to the man before her. Jefferson, he'd called him?

Jefferson wasted no time, he found a wooden table topped only with books and in one fell swoop pushed them onto the floor so that he could unload the girl he was carrying onto it. It hadn't been a trick of her imagination. She was blue. Bright blue, the color of blueberry juice. And yet she could see that she was breathing, faintly, but breathing just the same.

"Fix her!" Jefferson demanded pointing to the girl.

"Fix her?" Rumple giggled. "She doesn't appear broken. Has she sprung a leak? Jostled a cog?"

"Don't toy with me, Rumpelstiltskin. This isn't a joke. Grace is sick, dying. Someone gave her just a bit of the Gargamel Mushrooms and she collapsed right away and began turning blue."

"Now, why would anyone do such a thing?!" thing he piqued.

"You know why! It was to get back at me. I won't have her die because of something I did! Fix her. I know you can!"

"Well perhaps I can, dearie," he muttered taking a step closer as his voice lowered. Every bit of entertainment was gone from his voice as he began what she knew would become the deal. "But you know as well as I do, all magic comes with a price!"

"And I've paid it, several times over!" Jefferson fought back. There was no hint of fear or hesitation in his voice. "You owe me, for procuring several magical items for you over the years. Fix her."

"So…it seems your rainy day has finally come."

"If not this then what? Fix my daughter."

The men seemed to have forgotten she was there, but she began to put it together without their assistance. Grace, the name of the girl was Grace. She was his, Jefferson's, daughter and he was her father. As the two men squared off, looking each other in the eye, silent dares passing before them she stepped up to the place Jefferson had laid the small child and looked her over. She truly was a child, no more than eight or nine, certainly not ten yet. And she realized as she looked at her that not only was her skin blue but it was swollen, veins pressed purple against her skin, and it was to her shock that she discovered that the girl seemed conscious. Though her eyes were only slits between them, she could see two eyes that moved to look at her father then over to her. She'd collapsed and swollen, turned blue, but hadn't lost consciousness. She couldn't move, and she couldn't imagine the fear she must be feeling. It broke her heart just to look at Grace and tears quickly gathered against the rims of her eyes.

"Rumple," she breathed taking the girls hand and squeezing it. "Please…help her!" she begged. His eyes moved from her back to Jefferson, then turned soft as he moved away from the man and turned to his workstation.

"How long ago was she poisoned?" he asked as he set to work.

"Three days," Jefferson answered.

"Three days! It's taken you three days to get here?" she blanched.

"We had little choice, if anyone had seen her they'd have thought she had a plague and killed her, we had to be careful and we do live quite a difference."

"The Gargamel Mushroom only gets worse the longer it's in the system, another day or so and she'd have begun to shrink!" Rumple commented with a little laugh.

"I'm aware," Jefferson commented stoically. He was clearly unimpressed by Rumpelstiltskin's tone. Still, jokes or not, they stood back and watched as Rumpelstiltskin fiddled with his ingredients and added them to a pot as if he was making soup. It fizzled and popped, boiling like she'd never seen soup boil before and finally a flash and a bang resonated from the top of it and with a single ladle he poured a bit of the liquid into a flask with beautiful precision. She watched as he stoppered it then went to the window sill, the only one in this tower that still had remnants of the last snow on it because it never got the sunlight. He rolled the flask into it, then rolled the snow into the ball and held it tight in his hands. Almost immediately the heat of the liquid began to melt the snow, but with every step he took back to Jefferson the melting slowed, until he pushed on the mushy ball, leaving snow on the man's shoes, and held out the wet flask for him.

"Give it to her," he ordered.

Jefferson wasted no time on silly staring, he took the flask from him and ran to Grace's side. He threw the stopper away and gently lifted her head so he could pour the solution into her open mouth. Little by little he worked it all in. Rumpelstiltskin flit about the room, getting back to his own work as if nothing had changed, but she and Jefferson watched the little girl with baited breath, wondering just how long it was going to take to cure her. Seconds? Hours? Days?

"Grace!" Jefferson finally questioned, seeing first what she had failed to notice, flesh just below the sleeve of her dress, blue skin was beginning to turn a pale shade of yellow, then back ivory. "Grace!" She watched as the little girl's chest began to push up and down with a certainty it hadn't had before. Her coloring began to shift, she could see it changing now along her arm down to her wrist and hand, to the tips of her fingers. The little bit of skin she could see on her legs what changing as well and it was also creeping up her neck, into her chin and over her face. "Grace!"

"Papa," she heard someone breath, then watched with a smile on her face as one of the girl's arms reached up and touched her father's face.

"Oh Grace! I was so worried I'd lost you."

"I'm here Papa…I'm tired."

"I know, I know, I'm just so happy you're okay again!"

She was crying as he pulled his daughter into his arms and held her close. She wasn't better, not one hundred percent. There was still a faint blue tinge to her skin and she quite obviously had very little energy, if it wasn't for Jefferson holding the girl to him she would have fallen down again and she suspected walking would have presented a challenge. But she was on the road to making a full recovery, that much seemed obvious.

Jefferson's gaze darted across the room and when she followed it she found Rumpelstiltskin, his back still turned to them, paying no heed as the duo rejoiced together. Or at least that was what he was pretending to do. But there was a sullenness to him, something that was sunken in him as he moved about the table, he was almost too busy not to be trying to distract himself and she wondered…was he thinking about someone himself? The owner of the staff, the one whose birthday he celebrated, the person whose little body fit into the clothes she'd discovered. Was he thinking of a child? She wanted to say something, to reach out and touch his shoulder, remind him that what he'd just done had saved a life, it was very good! But instead Jefferson cleared his throat before she could take a step.

"We'll rest here for tonight and be on our way as soon as Grace is strong enough."

"If you insist," Rumpelstiltskin commented. "Belle will find you accommodations."

"Belle?"

"Me," she answered, alerting them to her presence out of her shocked stupor. No one ever stayed in the castle, and certainly, no one ever invited themselves to stay in the castle! Not overnight or ever. She hadn't a clue who this individual was, but her curiosity was growing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Jefferson Chapters have to explain a couple of critical factors from season two that are brought up over and over again. 1) Why doesn't Belle go looking for Jefferson after he frees her and 2) how does Jefferson know that Rumpelstiltskin loves Belle. This chapter, and the next, exist to answer both these questions, but in this chapter, I'm going to address question number one first. Why doesn't Belle go looking for Jefferson after he frees her? This wasn't so much a OUAT question as it was a fan question. Belle is a friendly person, and it only seems reasonable that after she remembers who she is, she would want to go search for her friend Jefferson, right? I mean, why wouldn't she? Well, in my mind for Belle to decide not to go after Jefferson, she would have to know beyond doubt two very critical things. The first is that Jefferson is not her friend and the second would be if she sees no reason to thank him, that is she understands or thinks she understands why he has done this thing that he has done and rescued her from Regina. A lot of the friend thing is going to be found in the next chapter but for now, what this chapter does is establish what Belle would believe the reason for sparing her is. Jefferson here makes it very clear that Rumple owes him. The Dark One is in debt to Jefferson and has a tendency to collect favors from him. I did this because I believed it would make it very easy, in Belle's mind, following this encounter for her to believe "oh, okay, he didn't do this to help me, he did it to earn another favor with Rumple." That combined with what you'll read in the next chapter and with Belle being new to Storybrook and awakened from the curse was good enough for me to believe she wouldn't go after Jefferson. As to the rest, you will have to read the next chapter.
> 
> Thank you to Heart_of_a_oncer for your awesome comments on the last chapter! I'm glad that you enjoyed it! Peace and Happy Reading!


	45. A Curious Individual

Thanks to her skill and dedication it was no problem at all to find the pair a room that was clean and ready for habitation. The castle had dozens of them. By the time she finally showed him to a room the sun was down. It would be time for dinner soon, and she used a torch that always seemed to magically light itself to light the candles around the room, and of course, the minute she stepped up to the fireplace it blazed to life with the same magic they all did in her presence.

"That's new," Jefferson commented as he tucked Grace into the bed. She'd hadn't been lying, she was so tired that by the time they'd gotten to the room she was asleep. Nothing seemed to rouse her. In fact, now that she was in bed she rolled over, sighed, and was happily asleep again.

She nodded looking over the fireplace, collecting more information about the man with every comment he made. He'd been here before. Obviously before her time.

"Yes, but it might go out when I leave…you can start a fire, I assume."

Jefferson nodded.

"I have to get dinner on the table, you are welcome to join us-"

"Us?"

"Rumpelstiltskin," she corrected. It was a force of habit after all these months alone in the mountains to think of them in tandem, but with Jefferson, she had to recall that she was only a servant that didn't belong at the dinner table. With visitors, some of the freedoms and liberties she took would have to be revoked. She supposed she'd have to eat alone in the kitchen tonight. The very dark, very damp, very cold kitchen.

"No that's alright, I'll just stay with Grace, she's tired and I don't want to leave her in a strange place alone."

So he had been to the castle but Grace had not. The last time he'd been here might have been long before her time. Not that it was any of a servants business. Food and comfort, that was her concern.

"I'll bring you a bowl of soup then," she concluded before leaving the room. Back in the kitchens she cut bread and prepared bowls for herself and Rumpelstiltskin, part of her exceptionally happy that Jefferson's absence meant she could eat at the table. For him, she left a bowl outside his door, then knocked and quickly left before he could open the door. There was something odd about him, something that she didn't like, something that made her feel uneasy. She'd always had a soft spot for motherless children and for caring fathers but something about this…she was curious about the man, but not curious enough to make herself feel uneasy. And he'd said himself they'd be gone as soon as Grace felt better. Though a child's laughter might brighten the castle, she would be happier when it was back to normal, just the two of them again and she could begin to feel like this place was just as much her home as it was Rumpelstiltskin's instead of her lavish prison.

Dinner was quiet. They talked about nothing just as they usually did, though she did catch his glances on occasion swept not over the fireplace, but rather the book she'd forgotten that she'd left there beside the fireplace. She'd finish it tonight. No more teasing or drawing it out. He'd saved a little girl today no matter how off-putting her father was, and whether or not he would admit it, what he wanted was for her to be able to talk with him about that book, she could give him at least that.

And so, after dinner, she'd put the dishes to soak and took up her book again in the great hall. Rumpelstiltskin, however, did not stay put as he usually did and made to leave right away.

"Going to bed already?" she inquired just before he left the room.

He paused but didn't turn to look at her. "It's been a long day," he explained before departing so fast she didn't have the time to bid him goodnight. It was the people in the castle, Grace and Jefferson, he wasn't going to say it out loud but she knew it was. He appreciated his privacy, he'd only just barely gotten used to having her in the castle, she knew that he was not about to sit in a place so common as to invite guests, even if those guests were sequestered in their quarters for the night.

"I'm sorry to bother you."

She jumped up and set her book aside as a voice that didn't belong to Rumpelstiltskin drifted over her shoulder. Jefferson.

"Oh!" she sighed holding her hand over her chest. "You scared me. I didn't hear you come in!"

"I've been told I'm quiet as a mouse. And perhaps you wouldn't be so fearful if you didn't sit in the master's chair."

She opened her mouth but wasn't quite sure how to respond. "The master's chair." Her chair? The chair that had been Rumple's but he lent to her without argument time after time. She would have explained, but she wasn't quite sure why she needed to or that Rumple would appreciate her explanation. Besides, she didn't much like what he was insinuating. What was it about this man, why did he make her so uncomfortable, why did she want him gone so much?

"Was there something I could help you with?" she questioned, hoping the change of topic would help.

"I saved what you brought for me for when Grace woke up. I wanted her to get her strength back. I wondered if I could trouble you for a bit more of something to eat."

"Oh, certainly! No trouble at all!" She moved out of the room quickly, happy for a reason to be away from that man. He bothered her. For no reason that she could pinpoint at all, he'd rubbed her the wrong way since he came into this castle. Yes, he was acting on behalf of his daughter but the way he moved around this place, the way he knew his way around the castle, how he'd invited himself to stay the night, showed no fear in the face of Rumpelstitlskin…the way he'd accused her of using his chair without permission. He'd been here before. There was clearly a relationship between Jefferson and Rumpelstiltskin, perhaps even a good one for him to be so bold as he had been and not end up as a toad or a snail. But was it friendship? She didn't think so. It sounded more like he'd collected goods for the Dark One. Business partners? And a smart business partner who knew to save his payments for rainy days. Who was this man?

When she brought the tray of food upstairs to him she found him gazing into the fire, hands behind his back, looking a bit more like Rumpelstiltskin than she'd expected. They couldn't be related? Could they?

"I do hope it wasn't any trouble," Jefferson called out without taking his eyes off the fire. He was aware of her presence, so was Rumpelstiltskin, but she never felt uncomfortable knowing that.

"None at all," she answered stepping forward. "The soup was still warm and the bread was still fresh. The mountains are warming up but the nights are still cold and the soup is good for warming bones. Tea?"

"Please."

She poured him tea from her white and flower kettle and set the food on the table for him. But before she could move the chair he swept the bowl up into his hands. He spooned some up, blew on it, and took a bite all the while staring at her as if he was waiting for her to look away or back down. She recognized a challenge when she saw it, and for that very reason, she refused to look away.

"It's good," he commented.

"Thank you, it's one of my favorites."

Finally, Jefferson cleared his throat and moved a few paces away from her to take another bite. "I'm sorry for my intrusion earlier, if I scared you when I first brought Grace..."

Was that the reason he made her so timid, why she didn't want to trust him? Because of how he'd come into their home? No. That wasn't it. She'd seen that little girl and if it were anyone else they'd have done the same. That was not the source of her distrust.

"I understand why you did it," she responded carefully. "There is nothing to be sorry for."

Jefferson nodded then took another bite and smirked as he swallowed. "He calls you 'Belle'," he stated looking up at her as if gauging her reaction.

She gave none, simply because she couldn't see the significance of him calling her by her given name. He'd done the same with him after all. "He calls you 'Jefferson'," she countered.

"Yes," he answered. "Yes, I suppose he does." The smirk on his face grew wider and somehow louder alone in the darkened room. What was the point of this conversation? Why was he saying all this to her? Clearly, there was something he was seeing that she wasn't, how nerve-wracking!

"So…how long have you been here for?" Jefferson asked after a few more mouthfuls of soup. Small talk. Now he was trying to make small talk…she had a feeling this man never talked just to talk. What was he trying to find out?

"Um…I don't know a couple of months or so. It's hard to keep track of time." Her answer was deliberately vague, because though she could tell he was curious of something she was curious too and suspected that if she kept him talking she might discover what he wanted to know.

"I don't imagine you took this job by means of an interview."

"Excuse me?"

"I'm asking how you came to be here," he inserted. "He's never had a servant here before, not in my memory and certainly none as lovely as you." Though she didn't want to she automatically felt her cheeks automatically redden with a blush. "Clear skin, you still have all your teeth, no callouses, and you present yourself with dignity and poise…you're no peasant."

First Robin, now this man. When she looked in the mirror she felt that she didn't resemble who she'd once been in the least, but clearly, she was mistaken. The only two visitors she'd encountered had seen it right away and his gaze left her little choice but to explain.

"I'm nobility," she answered, using neither a lie nor the truth. "I made a deal to save people I loved. Now I'm the caretaker of this castle."

"That you are indeed."

"I don't understand…what is it exactly that you are implying."

She was beginning to sense the reason he made her so uncomfortable. It was because he was perceptive. He clearly knew Rumpelstiltskin and clearly suspected something she didn't. It was like he was having two conversations, one with her and one with himself and she wasn't privy to his thoughts!

But Jefferson smiled at her demand. "He likes you."

"Who?"

"Rumpelstiltskin. He's fond of you."

She did her best to keep her face just as stoic and emotionless as Jefferson's was. Frankly, there was no shock for her to show on her face, she knew that he liked her. She also knew that he'd die before he admitted it, but over these last few months, she knew they both genuinely enjoyed the companionship they'd built. But as far as she was concerned there was no need for him to know something like that.

"I'm not sure the Dark One is 'fond' of anyone."

"No, trust me, if he didn't like you at least a little, you wouldn't have made it this long."

She didn't say anything more, didn't make a comment or build on what he'd said. She didn't think that there was anything to say about it in all honesty. They just stared at each other, both unwilling to break the gaze they kept on one another. He was dirty. Now that she finally had a minute to take a breath and examine him she could see just how filthy he was, his clothes tattered and patched, his hair long and unkempt. It was too much to have just happened on the journey to the castle. She had a million questions that she wanted to ask him, but somehow she also didn't want to ask him. She'd much rather question Rumpelstiltskin. It might take a while to draw the truth out of him but she'd get the story eventually, with time and patience. With him…she had her doubts.

"A tale from Agraba."

"Excuse me?"

"The book…" he pointed to the book she'd left in the chair when he'd arrived. "It's a tale of Agraba."

She felt her eyes widen and a smile cross her face as her heart began to beat faster. "Is it?" she hadn't figured out the place he'd been yet for this tale. She found herself so excited that she ran over and fetched it. Had Jefferson truly just provided her with an answer.

"Yes, I once stole something from the author. I've been there; the streets are almost identical to what he describes."

"Oh!" she smiled looking at the book and recalling the images of sandy roads and clay houses build one on top of another. "Well won't Rumple be shocked when I guess that first!" she beamed to herself, but was reminded too late that she wasn't in fact by herself and Jefferson had picked up on it. And that was how he got to her; books always made her lower her guard. That was stupid of her.

"I'm sorry?"

His gaze demanded elaboration but the feeling in her stomach as it tossed and turned told her not to. Still, she wasn't sure how she could easily dismiss something like this and didn't see the harm in tale behind it.

"It's…it's this little game that we play. When he goes away he brings me back a book and I guess where he's been before we discuss it. This one has been quite difficult and I was hoping for some kind of hint at the end, but now you've given it to me. Thank you."

"You're welcome. And thank you…for the food."

It was then that he took his bowl and raised it in salute and appreciation before turning back to the door. She should have just let him go on his way, keep walking and give her the hall back like she craved but she had no answers! And she wasn't sure she'd sleep without them.

"He likes you too!" she shouted after him. Jefferson stopped and paused. "Favor or no favor no one speaks to him the way you did and still gets what they want. Were you friends?"

For more than a few heartbeats she thought that he would simply walk away and leave her accusations unanswered but finally, he did turn back to face her with an unhappy scowl on his face that made her feel triumphant. She hadn't realized that up until this point he'd been completely in control of the conversation, and now the master was her.

"He tolerates me," he finally answered. "We used to be...associates, you could say. I found him magical objects and he paid me well most times, but I saved up a few favors for my 'rainy day' as he called it. I suppose that was smart of me in the end."

"Yes, I suppose it was," she commented. It was, after all, what had just saved his daughter though she had the feeling he'd have done it even if he wasn't owed favors. "You were associates…you stopped."

Jefferson sighed and hung his head then took a couple of menacing steps toward her as though he was tired and took another spoonful of soup. "After Grace was born I lost my wife and realized that I wanted to give her something more than a father who was a thief and never around. I couldn't let her end up with two dead parents so I stopped. It's probably my fault His Darkness has to go out as often as he does. Before then there were very few things that could drag him off this mountain."

"He disappears frequently enough as it is now, goes all over Mist Haven and even beyond sometimes."

"But he never takes you with him?"

"Only in books…it would be hard for a caretaker to take care of things of things halfway around the world."

"But he brings you books, why? You aren't here to make a wage, he asks nothing of you for them in return, no deals?"

She gapped at him for a moment, his figure suddenly much more intimidating than it had been a couple of seconds ago. He was sly. She'd had control of the conversation up until then. Now he'd taken it back without her even noticing. And just like that, she felt every bit of her curiosity close up again.

"It's like I said, it's only a game we play."

"Yes…only a game?"

"I don't know what else it would be. It's only a conversation. I think he enjoys the companionship as much as I do," she explained carefully. "It's not as if there are many other people to talk to."

"He's been alone long enough not to need companionship."

She nearly laughed at that comment because it was the same thing that she'd dealt with before from Rumpelstiltskin. He'd pushed her away in the beginning because he hadn't needed it, companionship wasn't like sustenance, it wasn't air or food or water but that didn't mean that it wasn't just as important.

"He may not need it but that doesn't mean he doesn't want it."

"He doesn't want it," Jefferson stated. "You don't live in a castle in the middle of nowhere because you want companionship."

"Well then…maybe he just feels sorry for me and does it out of compassion."

"Pity and compassion…two traits I've never seen him give to anyone or even be capable of in all our years of association."

She breathed. Loudly. It was the only thing she really felt like she could do. This was a mistake, asking the question and calling him back…she should never have done it. She felt like she was being examined by a doctor or by someone who knew her own brain better than she did, by someone who knew her captor far better than she had known him in the few short months she'd been there. Perhaps that was part of her problem, she'd felt as though she had access to a life and behavior no one else had, but clearly she hadn't. Clearly others had known him in his time here but…that didn't mean they knew him like she did.

He was capable of compassion. He did enjoy the companionship they offered one another. It really was just a game they played. And she was beginning to see why Jefferson, even if Rumple had ever thought of him as a friend, didn't come around to see him often.

"Um…It's late," she commented, more determined than ever to put this behind her. If she wanted more of the story, and she wasn't sure at this point that she did, she'd ask Rumpelstiltskin about it the way she should have in the first place. She wouldn't get it from him. "I'm usually up first so when you are finished you can leave your things here, I'll clean them in the morning."

She didn't wait for a response. Just moved around him with her book clutched to her chest, intent on getting to bed before he could find the spot that she slept in. He wouldn't stay in here long after she left, not when she knew the fire would go out right away after she was gone with no intention of returning.

"Thank you for your help tonight…Belle," he called after her just before she got to the door.

She glanced back at him with irritation, knowing full well that he was trying to do exactly what she'd done, take control, draw her in, but why…that remained a mystery to her. And it was obvious now it always would be.

"I didn't do anything," she answered simply.

Jefferson only raised another spoonful to his mouth blew, ate, and swallowed, all the while looking right at her. "Didn't you?"

"I didn't," she stated firmly, then left the room before he could say another word.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter, I believe answers a lot of questions for us but especially, in my mind it aims to answer "How does Jefferson know that Rumpelstiltskin loves Belle." There was a little bit of this in the previous chapter, but I tried in these two chapters to create the obvious things we learned in the few episodes Jefferson was in: he's a perceptive guy. I included in the last chapter little hints, mostly from Rumpelstiltskin, that he has some kind of feelings for Belle. He only helps Grace after she asks him to, then here he takes note that he calls her by name, the more he thinks of it the more he senses it and the more he talks to Belle, the more she confirms to him the feelings that she has for him. It isn't obvious to them yet, but to someone who has known Rumpelstiltskin for a while he can sense something is going on and since Belle wears her heart on her sleeves he just knows that even if it isn't love, she cares for him in some way. Finally, this chapter brings to a conclusion the question of why Belle doesn't search for Jefferson to thank him following her rescue. In the last chapter we discussed the fact that she doesn't find him because she knows why he did the rescuing, but in this chapter the other part of that should become clear. She doesn't go after her friend because...he isn't her friend. They've had one conversation. They haven't bonded during that conversation and in fact he kind of rubs her the wrong way. He's not her friend. Of course, all this is subject to debate, this is my version, and without an official version from The Powers That Be, my version is just as good as anyone else's.
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	46. A Lonely Man

Barely a week later and things were back to normal. The morning after Jefferson and his daughter Grace had arrived she'd found the dishes on the table, just as she'd wanted but the man himself was nowhere in sight. She'd done the dishes, begun breakfast, made four plates and when the time was right, took it to Rumpelstiltskin who was waiting up in the hall just as always.

"My, my, my…are we eating for two?" he'd questioned staring at her tray.

"I figured our guests would be hungry and might be joining us."

"They won't be," he'd answered as she set his plate down in front of him. "They left early this morning, long before you rose. I'm afraid it's just the two of us again."

Knowing that had brought her a strange sense of relief. She hadn't been overly fond of Jefferson, though she had hoped to have a conversation with his daughter. He may have been someone to talk to but she preferred the silence and conversation that the two of them came up with on their own to the conversations that she felt Jefferson wanted to have. Which was why she was happy when things went right back to normal again. They finally had their conversation about Agraba, she went back to cleaning, he went back to spinning. Soon enough Jefferson was gone from her mind and she lost interest in asking about him. There seemed to be no need, not anymore.

On that final thought, she heard the clock begin to chime and she smiled, happy to have it drag her away from her dusting for the day. The castle was clean now and she had every intention of keeping it that way in the future but the rest of her task would have to wait for a while. Tea time. Their time. Time for a break, for good company, and maybe even a conversation. About a book, about her, about him. She had no idea where today would lead them. They were comfortable with each other. Perfectly and completely. It had taken them months to get to that feeling, to being nearly friends, who knew where another month or two, where her eternal sentence would take them!

She smirked at the thought and went down to the kitchen. She warmed the water and set the teacups out on the tray, including the cup she had so lovingly named her "chipped cup". She felt a strong affection for it. She didn't know why, but something about its flaw was beautiful to her and she suspected it was to him as well. Much to her disappointment, the chip was not something you could "hardly see," but he still used it when she put it on a tray, and the way he simply pretended it was nothing, still made her smile to this day. She seemed to be doing a lot of that lately: smiling at little things throughout the day. Who would ever have guessed that she would have been happy here? That she might feel like it wasn't her prison, but her home? She was saddened by what Samuel had done, but in a way, it had opened up to her the prospect of a new life like she'd never seen it before. And that was something to be very happy about.

As she finished her preparations she took it up to the great room they used. He wasn't in the room yet, but she noticed that some of the straw he kept near his wheel had fallen to the ground. She left the tray on the corner of the table and quickly made herself busy: picking the stray pieces of straw off the floor, noting that he was out of it, straightening the already straight artifacts, taking a glance out the window. She was proud of this place and what she'd done here. Prouder than she'd ever thought she would have been when she made that deal. It might have been the best thing to ever happen to her.

When she heard the tinkling of china, she glanced over her shoulder and realized that he had come into the room, quietly, as always. She was so used to it that she didn't startle anymore when she was certain she was alone only to find the next minute she wasn't. He stared at her as she put aside her busyness and came back over to the table. He had taken the chipped cup again and she smirked as if it was her own private joke. She would have gotten her own tea ready but found she really wasn't thirsty. That was alright, it wasn't a requirement, and frankly, it wasn't why she came to tea anymore. She suspected he didn't come just for the tea anymore either though he'd never admit it. He made a move to go to his side of the table, normally she sat at the hearth or on her side, but she didn't want to be that far away today. She was feeling comfortable and it was making her feel oddly bold. So she told herself that there was no need to have a table if she had nothing to place on it. Instead, she followed him.

He took notice, as always, glancing back at her over his shoulder, curious about why she was following him. Then, after finding a comfortable spot on the table, she jumped up to sit down. At the creak, he spun around. He let out a small "oh!" and was taken back by the sight of her crossing the invisible divide between her side and his side, even if only in the slightest. She had surprised him, she doubted that anyone had ever surprised him in his life.

She smirked, crossed her ankles and let her legs swing back and forth, feeling like she had more energy than she had in a long time. It must have been what happened when she felt good, when she felt happy even. Or maybe it was just the fact that she was capable of surprising him. Or maybe that he was waiting for her to choose the topic of conversation, to pull out a book to discuss, or mention something about the castle, or the weather. Did there need to be a reason to feeling happy? Couldn't she just be having a good day? It made her feel...different. And today she didn't want to talk about the new book she was reading or the places he'd been to. So what would they talk about?

She watched him. She watched him watching her. And she wondered if he knew. She wondered if he knew how happy she was here? If he could sense the change that had happened between the two of them, the change that seemed to have occurred in her since she first arrived. Had he always known she'd be this happy? From the moment he'd taken her? Had he ever intended for her to be happy like this? Or was it just an accident? Did he know or ever think he'd enjoy having her around as much as he did?

"Why did you want me here?" she asked. Honestly, she'd wanted to know the answer since they had left her father's castle. Had he planned on taking her with him or was it a last minute decision? At first, she had settled on the idea that he really did need a caretaker and it was as simple as that. It was true, he did need a caretaker, that much was obvious since she arrived, but it wasn't the simplest answer. The more she was here the more she thought that it was just an excuse. Now that they were to a place where she felt that she could ask a question like that and get an answer, she figured she may as well ask. After all, what was the worst that could happen?

It was a serious question, but in typical fashion, he wrinkled his nose, heightened his voice, and hid his face behind the cup. "Place was filthy," he joked, a telltale sign that he didn't want to continue this conversation. But it made little sense to her. He usually did something like that because he didn't like to talk about himself, the question she'd chosen hadn't been about him it had been about her? Wasn't it? For some reason, that persistent thought that had continually fought its way back to the surface of her mind popped into her mind again. What was he hiding?

What was he trying so hard to forget, to outrun, to outlive? What had happened to his family that had calloused his heart in the first place? Who had he lost that he'd been remembering? Who did the cane belong to?! She knew what she wanted to talk about, but she had to think carefully about how to approach it. He was already tense, looking defensive. He wouldn't want to talk as she would...but maybe that was okay. Maybe he didn't have to answer questions, he could just listen to her.

"I think you were lonely," she stated, placing her suspicion out in the open. He lowered the cup and looked at her with a small twinge of fear in his eyes. "I mean, any man would be lonely," she covered trying to make it less an observation and more of an educated guess. It seemed to work or at least work better than the time she'd outright informed him of that empty place in his heart. He certainly hadn't exiled her outside, he hadn't done that in a while! And just as quickly as the fear had come on his face it had gone, and yet something was different about how he was looking at her, even how he was moving. As he lowered the teacup, she realized what it was. His mask...it was gone. How astounding! For the first time since she'd gotten here, he was just himself. It took her breath away. They were having a real, genuine conversation.

"I'm not a man," he whispered, his voice at a normal level as he shuffled awkwardly before unexpectedly leaning up against the table next to her. Not close enough to touch, but it was closer than he had ever purposefully volunteered in the past. His voice sounded so sad. He stared down at the teacup in his hands, and her heart broke for the person that hid behind that mask, the one sitting beside her now. Not only was he denying himself the basic right to call himself human, but it dawned on her that he hadn't denied her allegations that he was lonely.

She wanted to reach out and touch his shoulder, like she would comfort anyone, friend or master, but she fought that instinct. Touching was still new to them and she feared it would only bring him back to his senses and he would move away. But she did desperately want to make him feel better. Something inside of her knew that no matter what creature he was now, he was capable of being a man. She'd seen glimpses of it, just like she was seeing now. No monster she had ever met stared into their chipped teacups like they were endless reflections of another life. What was he hiding in that other life? What was he hiding from?

"So I've had, um, a couple of months, to look around, you know" she went on. "And, uh, upstairs, there's, uh, clothing," she informed him nervously, hoping that he might actually offer her answers, allow himself to maybe be vulnerable and trust her with the truth, "small, as if for a child?" She let it be a question but she'd often thought back on the clothes she'd found, wondered about their origins, and she was certain they could have been for nothing else.

She had hoped he'd be prompted to say something, but still he sat, taking in her voice and staring straight ahead, saying nothing. She fought off a defeated sigh. It was difficult to have a conversation with a person when they refused to talk, but she could be just as stubborn and persistent as he was, because despite what she calmly told herself from the beginning, that his past didn't matter, she desperately and inexplicably wanted to know about it! "Was it yours?" she prodded. "Or was there a son?"

He opened his mouth but didn't say anything. The mix of fear and even a little shock that she had guessed right once again crossed his face. She'd never seen that combination before. She expected him to yell, for a brief moment, like he had when she had first moved in, maybe chastise her for snooping, at best she expected him to turn and walk away. But after a pause he turned and looked at her, gentler than she knew he could be.

"There was," he admitted with a painful voice, solemnly confirming her suspicions, looking her over before turning away again like he couldn't face her as he forced the words out, "there was a son. I lost him, as I did his mother." Her breath caught in her chest. It wasn't anything new. He'd told her that he'd lost the person he'd lit the candle for, he'd insisted the person wasn't dead! But, finally, she had an answer that he hadn't given her before! In fact, compared to what he usually offered her this was a story, a long novel. And a sad tale it was. He did have a family. A wife and a son. It was the son he'd lost then, the one that hadn't died. Was that who had owned the cane, too?

"Um..." she stuttered, she hadn't been expecting an answer that would give her that much information, she wasn't prepared for it, or the hurt it seemed to bring him. "I'm sorry."

To lose a wife and a child, in any capacity, was terrible. But she was not oblivious to the fact that while he spoke of the boy with a gentle voice he'd bitten the syllables off the words "his mother" like they left a bad taste in his mouth. And the fact that he was willing to claim a son, but not "a wife" said more to her than anything else. The woman was nameless, placed so far away from him he was only going to refer to her through the boy. The amount of resentment in his voice told her that it would be a story for another time, maybe when they knew each other better, when he trusted her more. For now, the nameless boy was safer ground. But that couldn't stop the million questions that jumped into her mind. Had they been happy? Had they been in love like the couples in her books? How had he lost them? But the one that took root in her head came from the comment he had made earlier. What had made him difficult to love before? And what had he been before?

She bit her lip and tossed the question around in her head, wondering if she should stop and let it go or if she should just ask it and see what happened. He'd been compliant so far, who knew when they would talk again like this again. "So you were a man once," she couldn't help but smile, he must have been to have a son. "An ordinary man?" she pointed out, happily, finding the one bright spot in his story. But she wanted to hear him say it. Obviously, he hadn't been ordinary, she didn't know his entire history, but she knew his mother was a fairy, a creature of light at least at some point in her life. So that must mean he had that potential too! To be a good ordinary man once more. She couldn't tell why she felt it was important to her, but she wanted to hear him say the words, to know they were true, to believe them. She wanted him to see himself as more than just the monster everyone thought he was, that he thought he was, doomed to a miserable life, and a tragic ending.

But he said nothing. Just went back to looking everywhere but at her. She sighed, feeling defeated, but not willing to give into it just yet. If it was going to be a while before they talked like this, she wanted to know in the time between that she'd done everything she could. They weren't friends yet, but she wanted him to see that she was beginning to think they could be. Up here in the mountains, they were really all they had! All the prodding, the searching, the time she'd spent trying to get him to really and truly see her, share his life with her, it was for a reason.

"If I'm never going to know another person in my whole life, can't I at least know you?" she asked boldly, unsure of what he would think of the proposal. He smiled, but the look on his face made her heart fall, his mask was on again. Their time was up. No doubt in a few moments he would get back to his business, she'd take the tea away and it would all be forgotten. She wouldn't mind, she didn't want to think that her questions had caused him any kind of pain. But she was disappointed.

"Perhaps..." his voice had gone up as he rose and set the cup aside, "perhaps you just want to learn the monster's weaknesses. Na! Na! Nanana!" he shook his fingers at her, teasing. He was back to being defensive, back to his old self, but she could see that it was just a boundary he kept to protect himself. It had nothing to do with her or whatever their relationship was or might be. And there was that word again, "monster". She was tired of others seeing him that way, but she knew that nothing would change as long as he believed it. He wasn't a monster. She knew it as she watched his memories torture him, and she couldn't stand to watch him inflict that kind of pain on himself. She wouldn't stand it.

"You're not a monster," she corrected gently. He appeared surprised and nervous at her assumption, maybe even afraid of her declaration. But she couldn't take it back. "You think your uglier than you are that's why you cover all the mirrors up, isn't it?" She raised her eyebrows thinking back on the day she'd uncovered the one in the corner. She was hoping to see that same spark that she had seen moments ago when she had guessed right about his son. She wanted him to respond. But he couldn't. Because, unfortunately, someone chose that moment to come pound on his door and interrupt them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah...so we've arrived at that day...the day we all know...the day we all love and dread at the same time! Of course, we're nowhere near the finish of MK&U because there is an entire arc after this but Belle's days in the castle are numbered I'm afraid. Grab the wine, break out the chocolate, buy some kleenex and let's wrap this love affair up...for now.
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	47. Meeting In The Middle

A knock at the door wasn't unheard of. People came to him seeking help all the time, but this time was different. His reaction was odd. Usually he was all too happy to leave their discussions and run off to see who had come and to sort out a deal of some kind. It was something that he loved to do, and always put him in a pleasant mood, something she figured he'd want after their tense conversation. But this time he didn't drop everything, he didn't even look excited. He glanced at the door, then back to her, almost regretfully. He looked unhappy, maybe even angry at the interruption. But instead of angrily marching off, he took a moment to collect himself, even took a deep breath before nodding and excusing himself politely. Like a gentleman, not a monster.

It happened all the time, but she just wished it hadn't happened at that particular moment. They had finally been getting somewhere, she wanted to get somewhere farther. She wanted to know more, plain and simple. Once he was out of the room, she sighed and hopped off the table, feeling somehow different. She felt heavier, burdened, but not in a bad way. She felt...connected again to another living person. She felt it in a way that she hadn't felt it since her mother was alive. And even though there were burdens that came with it, it almost felt good. She walked around to the far side of the room, looking for something to do as she tried to clear her head to put words to the strange new feeling coursing through her body. In the end, she settled for looking out the window and down into the valley it overlooked, stalling. It was silly really, she didn't know how long he was going to be gone, and she'd never waited for him before! Why was she doing it now? There was no telling if he'd be back. Sometimes these deals took only minutes, like her own, others took longer. Probably she should just collect the tea and look forward to seeing him at dinner.

But before she could take a step toward the tray, the door behind her opened and he strode back in. There seemed to be an unexpected surge of excitement between them as he joined her again. It felt as though the feeling she couldn't describe jumped eagerly. Did he know how much she wanted to continue their discussion? Had she until this moment? She slowly moved toward him feeling like they were dancing around each other again, wondering where to begin. Just like they had months ago. How would he treat her if she knew about his past? His son, his wife, losing them? Would he treat her differently? Like he feared her? Or would he find he liked having someone to confide in?

"Who was that?" she questioned innocently enough. Honestly, she didn't know if he would tell her. She'd never bothered to ask him before, and he'd never volunteered the information unless he was attempting to entertain her. But she figured that how he reacted to her would tell her if his feelings toward her had changed with the exchange of the truth.

"Just an old woman selling flowers," he answered gallantly, then he went into a small princely bow and presented her with a long-stemmed red rose. "Here."

Her breath stopped. He had never really given her anything before, not directly at least, and certainly not just because he could. The pillow was for his work, or so he claimed. The library had been a gift but it was a gift hidden behind a chore. Even the books that he gave her he always said he brought back so that she would be too absorbed in reading to bother him! But this! A flower. Something beautiful that she liked just because she could, that served him no purpose and made her smile. This was brand new. And it made her stomach roll with something. Nerves? Happiness? More?

"If you'll have it?" he asked. She smiled as she plucked it from his fingers without a moment of hesitation, flattered at the thought. How could she do anything but accept it!

"Why, thank you," she muttered, taking her skirt in one hand and making a polite curtsy, feeling like the princess that she really was, maybe even feeling more than that in a strange unidentifiable way. He responded with a flourishing bow, participating in her joy. She felt heat suddenly race into her cheeks and let out a giggle. She giggled! She couldn't remember the last time she had laughed like that, or smiled as brightly as she was now, or the last time that she felt like she'd blushed this much over a simple gift. Over a flower! And she hadn't meant for it to look or sound so juvenile but she felt like she just couldn't control it. She turned, feeling only slightly embarrassed by her act, giving only a glance back to see him actually smiling at her. Not giggling, not mocking, but really smiling. He was happy. And between that and the rose he had given her, how could she resist the urge to giggle and smile with him?

"You had a life Belle..." she glanced at him over her shoulder, finally getting her emotions in check and containing her smile. From the small case she kept by the fire she pulled out a pair of scissors and continued to listen to whatever it was he was attempting to discuss with her. "Before all this..." he was drawing a circle in the air with his hands, it made him look nervous, but it didn't take a genius to know what he was referring to. She had a life before her life with him in the castle...though she wasn't sure she'd call it a life. Happy and ignorant as she'd been before her mother died, some days this felt like more of a life than that had. "Friends...family..." he continued to ramble on as she went to the cabinet, "what made you choose to come here...with me?"

She took the question in, almost happy that he had asked it, happy that he had an interest in her, finally. Happy he was talking with her, not at her, not about her, and not about meaningless things of little consequence. But actually talking with her. A genuine, heart felt conversation. And it didn't hurt that she knew the answer to the question. She'd thought about it a lot in the beginning, and at that point its answer was what had told her it would all be worth it. She glanced back at him taking his seat at the table, waiting for her answer with genuine interest, and came to a startling conclusion: it had been worth it. More than worth it. In fact, if given the opportunity, she would do it all over again!

"Heroism..." she answered him truthfully. "Sacrifice..." she added as she opened the cabinet and reached for the small vase she liked to put flowers in to decorate her library. "You know, there aren't a lot of opportunities for women in this land to show what they can do, to see the world, to be heroes," she added closing the doors and taking her prize back to the table. "So, when you arrived, that was my chance.

"I always wanted to be brave," she explained, snipping off the end of the rose and dropping it into the vase, "I figured do the brave thing and bravery would follow," she shrugged her shoulders, explaining like it was nothing. She'd gone over this so many times in her head she didn't need to even think about it. But it wasn't nothing. It had been important, it hadn't just been a moment her life had changed, it had been a turning point, a moment she'd changed. That she decided to leave the past, everything that had gone wrong with Anna behind her and take after her mother...make her proud! It never dawned on her that she would probably never have told her father or Gaston the real reason she had come, these thoughts were far too private for them, and they would be confused and maybe even insulted, that she had gone for herself just as much as she had gone for them and the village...maybe even more so if they knew she didn't regret it.

"And is it everything you hoped?"

"Well, ah..." she smiled thinking of her new-found revelation as she set the rose in the middle of their table and sat on the spot she had earlier, realizing that she was blushing again. Actually...it was better than she'd hoped. Her mothers sacrifice had been...it had been the end! But this, this hadn't been the end, as she'd feared it would be that day. It had been a beginning, a beautiful and wonderful beginning. But...she'd already told him something that she wouldn't have told her family, was she ready to tell her captor she might have actually been happy with him? Here? Happier, even? "I did want to see the world," she reminded him uselessly. They both remembered too well how her last "trip" had ended. "That part didn't really work out," she remarked, the feel of tentacles around her neck still managed to make her shiver. And really, before that trip all she'd managed to really see was Arendelle and she'd managed to make a terrible mess of that as well, but...maybe...maybe she had made up for the lives she'd cost. After a moment of consideration, she nodded. "But I did get to save my village."

He tapped his fingers together nervously. "And what about your...betrothed?" She rolled her eyes, she couldn't help herself from doing it. It was a natural reflex, one that she had learned to resist in her father's castle, though clearly she was out of practice. She'd never really liked Gaston, never really trusted him, and he certainly wasn't someone that she would have chosen to marry. And yet, if she'd stayed...there was no doubt she'd be married and maybe even pregnant by now. Her wedding night...from the little she knew it would have been a nightmare. She was glad she'd never had to go through that. It made all of this, even the first few horrible months before Robin Hood worth it all by itself.

"It was an arranged marriage," she admitted with a shake of the head, not feeling one ounce of shame or regret at telling him. "Honestly, I never really cared much for Gaston." He was smiling again, but she couldn't be sure why. It wasn't his genuine smile, but there was definitely something that he was amused with. Still Gaston had never made her quite as happy as that smile. She smirked, thinking of all the ways Gaston had fallen short in her eyes even before she'd come here and experienced a better version of what her life could be. Being royal was not quiet as privileged a life as she'd been led to believe. And neither was her arranged marriage.

"To me love is…" what was it? She'd read a million books on the subject. She knew what it wasn't, but what was it? "Love is layered. Love is...a mystery to be uncovered." In all the words that she would think of to describe Gaston 'layered' and 'mysterious' was nowhere on that list. Perhaps that was why she had always dreaded their marriage, she would never have been able to truly love him, at least not the way a wife should love a husband. Care for him? Eventually? Possibly. But love him? Truly? Never. "I could never truly give my heart to someone as superficial as he."

And the reality was that she'd never have to now. She was safe from that. And the person who'd saved her...was him! She hadn't seen it at the time, but it was him that had provided the out, the back door, the escape route. Of all the people that she thought had benefited from her deal, she never thought that she would be one of them. Her village was safe. He had company and a clean castle. But she'd gotten freedom in her captivity. She'd won her happiness. Why hadn't she noticed it before? He was running from his past, she was running from her future, no wonder they'd met in the middle.

She wondered if he was aware of this before now? If he'd suspected how happy he'd made her? But instead of joy on his face, his smile disappeared quickly, and he shook his head ever so slightly. What had upset him so suddenly she didn't know, but she panicked. She didn't want him to stop now and walk away, she wanted him to talk to her, to keep talking to her, to know everything that was filtering through his mind.

She shook her head and tried to think of something completely different to talk about, something new that would change the subject and bring him back to her. "But, um...you were going to tell me about your son!" He wasn't actually, but that was the first thing that came to her hazy mind.

"I'll tell you what," he said without missing a beat, "I'll make you a deal" her heart fell at the words. It hadn't worked, he still didn't trust her and he was back to his old self and making deals just like always. Whether this one would be beneficial or not she didn't know, but so far, her experience with his deals was that they tended to work out in her favor. So she played along and raised her eyebrows in anticipation of what he was thinking. "Go to town and fetch me some straw. When you return, I'll share my tale."

She processed the words he was saying slowly, then finally realized that he was asking her to do something that he'd never asked before. It was one of the tasks he had assigned her at the very beginning, but she'd never actually done it. He'd always gotten straw on his own, he'd never needed her to get it for him. And he hadn't asked her to leave the castle walls since he'd taken the special fastener from her. Not just taken it but destroyed it! If she left, he couldn't be sure that she'd return. So did that mean...could it be that he finally trusted her? Truly trusted her now? Had she earned that back? "But...town?!" He nodded at her surprised reaction, clarifying that she'd heard what she thought. "You trust me to come back?!"

"Oh Belle..." he shook his head, "I expect I'll never see you again" Never see her again? He didn't trust her? Didn't expect her to come back? But that meant…he was releasing her! The words were a complete shock to her. She hadn't been prepared for that! She didn't know what to do with herself. Stunned, she hopped off the table with a little bit less enthusiasm than before, feeling...hurt. She placed her hand over her stomach as she turned away from him, and, without another word, walked right back to her dungeon without truly thinking about what she was doing. Now she sat on her bed hunched over, cowering in her tiny, empty cell still absolutely shocked at what had transpired.

Freedom. True freedom!

He'd freed her, sent her away, never to be seen again. She should be happy. She should feel like the luckiest person in the world. What was she still doing here?! She should want to take her freedom and run and never turn back. She could go home! Or...no one would ever know that she was free, she could wander into the village and create a brand new life for herself, knowing that no one from her old life would ever come looking for her! He'd saved her again, just as he had from her previous life. Freed her to do...just about anything! She should be overwhelmingly excited!

So then, why did she feel like crying? Why did she have a sour feeling in the pit of her stomach? Coming with him was supposed to be the bravest thing that she'd ever done, so why did leaving him terrify her? Was this payback? Had she pushed too hard? Had she dug around in his past so much that he never wanted to see her again? It was so sudden! Everything had been going great. More than great, she had thought. Why he wanted her to leave…her thoughts stopped there and she dropped her head into her hands. This made no sense.

She was feeling like she might actually cry when a new thought pressed into her mind. The small voice echoed through her head trying to drown out all other thoughts: why was she letting this torture her so much? He'd freed her, given her permission to go and see the world! She felt a smile tug at her lip, he probably thought that he was doing her a favor, and in a way, he was. She didn't have to go to the village. If she wanted to she could see the world, all the places he'd talked about and she'd read about...they were open to her now. She rose, surprised that her legs were shaking under her. She should go now and ask questions later, certainly...

She took a glance around the now bare room that had been her haven ever since arriving. It had been her prison cell but the thought of never seeing it again brought tears to her eyes. So she turned around and practically ran up the stairs to thank him, to tell him that she was going and could never repay him for what he'd done! But...the tea set was just where she had left it...and Rumpelstiltskin was nowhere in sight. He hadn't even wanted to say good-bye? She glanced over at his spinning wheel, and picked up one of the empty baskets, though she honestly didn't know why. Part of her said that he had given her a task to do and it was habit. This was a test of some sort for her or for him. But another part of her simply said that if she was going to do as he suggested, leave on an errand and never return, she might as well make it look good. The castle was silent as she collected a traveling cloak from her new room.

Nothing got in her way as she made her way to the door. And no one stopped her as it slammed behind her. The walk to the gate at the end of the property seemed to take forever, but as she pushed open the tall wooden door she couldn't help but look back on the castle. A figure in the window of his tower moved out of sight quickly and she turned away to look at the road laid out before her. It was an adventure, it was exciting, and she was starting something new.

It was freedom!

It felt wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there she goes! Alright ya'll...ready to have a familiar face back? Eager to see what happens when she changes her mind (as if we don't already know)? I know that I am!
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	48. Changing Direction

The road ahead of her was straight as could be. But to her it seemed to twist and turn unpredictably. Her mind seemed to be battling with itself. On the one hand, her logical side told her to run. To leave this place and get as far away as she could. But on the other hand, a side of her that she hadn't even known was alive until she went with him told her that she was making a terrible mistake. That she should return, or else she would regret it her entire life. The thoughts and voices swirled around in her mind leaving her in a state of limbo. Her future was uncertain, continue on the road she walked now or go back? Her decision changed every few seconds, and it kept her from running and from walking peacefully. Her pace was quickened, but not certain, and that was when she heard the sound of a horse behind her. Excitement rose in her chest and she turned, half expecting, half hoping that it was him coming after her-

But it wasn't, and her face fell, disappointed.

It was a caravan. Two guards rode ahead on horses while four more horses pulled a carriage along behind them. And there in the back, two more guards and two more horses. She had no idea who this was, but obviously it was someone important. Not to mention someone who liked black. Everything from the carriage, to the horses, to their riders were drapped in the color black. They didn't slow down as they approached so she quickly moved off to the side of the road to wait for them to pass so she could continue on to…where ever her feet took her, she supposed.

But suddenly the carriage stopped as it pulled up beside her. And the door opened to a wide-eyed woman, dressed in all black, the only color on her was the bit of red in her hair and the paleness of her skin. "Did my carriage splash you?" she asked, her eye brows raised, expecting an answer.

"Oh," the woman's eyes bothered her, it was like she had met her before but she couldn't even begin to guess where. So she avoided them, and glanced down at her dress and cloak, which were just as spotless as it had been when she left. "Oh, no!" she tried to smile, tried to be pleasant, "I'm fine." The strange woman smiled but it reminded her of the way a hawk might smile at a mouse it was planning on having for dinner. She didn't trust the woman. She didn't know why, but she didn't. So with a final smile and a small curtsy she walked on.

"You know I'm tired of riding," she looked back at the woman, fearing the next words that would come out of her mouth. "Let me stretch my legs and walk with you for a spell." She opened her mouth to say something but she found she had no words. She didn't particularly want company. But she supposed there was no harm. She'd known women like this and they didn't go through the forest with a carriage and escorts to walk for long periods of time. She waited as the woman climbed down and held her hand up to the carriage driver. After being offered an umbrella to keep the misty rain at bay they walked to the front of the caravan and led the way. They traveled slower than she had been before, but in silence which was just fine for her until the woman decided that she didn't want silence.

"You carry very little," the woman suddenly observed.

She shook her head, mourning the silence. "Don't want to be slowed down," she commented using as few words as possible and hoping that she would get the idea that she just wanted to be left alone. She picked up her pace, the woman falling behind slightly.

"Oh, you're running from someone," the woman chuckled to herself, and she glanced back at her trying to hide the fact that her heart had suddenly sped up. She wasn't running. She couldn't run when there was no one to chase after her. Besides she had no idea what she was doing, so it couldn't be running. "The question is master or lover?" She fought the urge to roll her eyes. The woman was making her uncomfortable, talking to her like she was an old friend instead of someone she'd met only minutes ago. No, not talking, gossiping. She turned away from her. She wasn't interested in pursuing this discussion. She preferred to keep her secrets close to her. If the woman wasn't here she would have smiled, was this what he had felt like when she asked him questions? "Oh!" the woman piqued, "master  _and_ lover." This time she did roll her eyes.

The woman knew nothing. She may not know what she and Rumpelstiltskin were but he was not her master, at least not any more. And lovers! The idea was preposterous! She felt something for him, but it certainly wasn't that…was it? She did enjoy talking to him. She liked being in the same room with him, sharing their meals, even in silence. He'd told her more than she believed he'd ever told anyone, and she felt…she wasn't sure what she felt. She felt like her heart had just stopped. Could it be more than like? Could it be something more than just comfort and friendship pulling her back to him? Could it have been more than the desire to be brave that pulled her to him in the first place?

She stopped dead. She didn't want to think about this right now, and if the woman couldn't understand that then she didn't need to speak with her. "I might take a rest," she told her pleasantly as possible, "You...you go on ahead," she suggested, gestureing to the road before her.

The woman watched her for a moment and before she could pull away from her she reached out and put an unwelcome arm around her. "So if I'm right," she forced her to turn and continue to walk down the road, "you love your employer, but your leaving him."

Love. Love was such a spectacular word. Was that what she felt for him? It was so different so unique from every other feeling that she'd ever experienced, she was sure of that. But did that mean it was the unidentified emotion racing through her now? She'd never felt nearly as excited to see Gaston as she'd felt when she saw Rumpelstiltskin. And though she loved her father it wasn't the same feeling. Hearing him tell her a story, even if it was only a couple of sentences was better than any book that she had ever read. The room he was in was the safest place in the world. The rose he offered to her had been the best gift she'd ever received in her life, second only to the library that he'd given her.

"I might love him," she admitted with a swallow, surprised that the words had come out of her mouth. Love was a spectacular word, but the feeling when she stood close to him...she had to admit that it was spectacular. She smiled at the thought, she had no problem giving love. She had done it her entire life. Was it really so outlandish to believe that she could love him and he could love her back.

Her mind paused at an unpleasant realization. "I mean I could except…" she fought to find the words. He wouldn't love her back. That required trust, something that had been stolen from him a long time ago. He didn't have it to give. And though she had seen a change in him since she'd first arrived she knew that the change was contained to her alone. He was still the same man to the entire world. It appeared that he had left an impression on her, but she doubted that she could make one that deep on him. His heart, it was capable of love, she fully believed that, but she wasn't sure he did. There was something else planted in it, and she didn't think she was strong enough to wipe it out.

"Something evil has taken root in him," she said finally. It was in that moment that she realized that she hadn't thought of this for the first time today. She'd had these thoughts before. It was just the first time someone had given her the word for what she felt.

She did love him. How had that happened without her realizing it?

"Sounds like a curse to me," the woman said with a smile. She looked at the woman with interest. Yes...how had she known that? She'd never gotten him to tell her how he had come to be in his state after being human. But she'd read about it in the book she'd found the passage on the dagger in. But...knowing it was a curse didn't fix it. What could be done about it just by knowing it? She had no magical abilities. There was no way for her to help him, not that he would take it even if she offered. "And all curses can be broken," the woman informed her, as if sensing her thoughts. She eyed her suspiciously, eager to hear the answer. If there was anything she could do to free him of his curse she'd do it. She'd go anywhere for him, do anything!

Her thoughts caught her off guard. To think she didn't even know how she felt for him before the carriage pulled up! Wasn't it obvious how completely devoted to him she was already? "A kiss born of true love would do it," she stilled, raising her eye brows in shock. If the woman wasn't pulling her along she would have stopped walking.

A kiss?! No, not just any kiss. True love's kiss. She was only ready to admit a few moments ago that she loved him, but...was it more than that? True love, the most powerful magic in the world. Yes, she'd heard him say that once or twice, never to her but certainly to the people that came to see him. Was the connection between them that powerful? She didn't even need to think, she knew the answer. Of course it was that strong. How else would a caretaker like her have been able to effect him in the way that she had over the last few months? How could she feel so strongly for him and believe in him after all she'd seen him do? The realization hit her like a wave beating a rock on the shore, wearing her thin until she knew exactly what had happened between them. She didn't just like him, she loved him, and it wasn't just any kind of love, it was true love.

She was in love with Rumpelstiltskin! The awkwardness they'd shared, the connection, his softened heart, she had sensed that the answer was simple and she was right! All this time, they hadn't just been sharing the same space and becoming accustomed to one another...they'd been falling in love with one another. When she'd been engaged to Gaston and her fate had been sealed she'd dreamed of falling in love, of being in love...and now it really had finally happened. She was in love. She knew that now, but did he? Is that why he sent her away? Could her presence have scared him that much? Could love have truly frightened him?

"Ah, child no!" she woman laughed continuing to pull her along. "I would never suggest a young woman to kiss a man who held her captive," she said, misunderstanding her silence and shock. "What kind of message is that?" she heard her mutter to herself.

"Right..." she muttered agreeing with her. It was absurd. So why was she thinking about actually doing it? What would it be like to actually kiss him? To touch him like that! To be that close or cure the man of the monster within? She didn't even know how he felt about her.

"Besides, if he loves you," the woman continued in her gossip tone, "he would have let you go..." She stared ahead of her, her eyes gone wide as she thought about their last encounter. "And if he doesn't love you well then, the kiss won't even work," she said with certainty.

"But..." so many thoughts were running around in her head, she couldn't keep up with them and she just needed to stop for a moment. "But he did let me go," she said pulling away and looking at the woman. Was that all? Was that the reason he'd let her go? Not for payback or because he was upset with her but out of guilt? Because he loved her? Because he wanted her to come back to him not as a slave or captive, but as a free woman?

"Yes, but no kiss happened..." Of course not she'd been too dazed and shocked at the time to kiss him! She hadn't even known she'd loved him! But now...now she did. Now she knew. Leaving was a mistake. A terrible mistake! She had to go back to him. Now! She had to see him, if she didn't, she just knew that she would spend the rest of her life wondering…wondering if someone who made her feel the way that he did would ever show up. Finding another man wasn't even an acceptable possibility in her mind any more. It was him! She knew it was! People waited lifetimes for true love, she couldn't give it up! Her mother had died so she'd have a chance at life, to be happy! He was that chance, but could she be his?

"And a kiss" she asked desperately, needing to know, to be certain. "A kiss is enough?" It seemed too simple, "he'd be a man again?"

The woman leaned forward with a smile. "An ordinary man," she whispered. "True loves kiss," she said slowly, "will break any curse." It was the answer to everything. She smiled, she could do this. She could rescue him!

From the side one of the men in black came up to the woman. "Well," she said suddenly perky, "it seems I need to be on my way. Enjoy your journey, wherever it may take you." She turned back to her carriage the guard escorting her the entire way. But before she got in she turned back to her, "I do hope we'll see each other again someday," she said with that same greasy smile. But she couldn't focus on that now, not after what she had told her, not with the feelings boiling inside her.

The carriage passed her by leaving her alone on the long road. Only now the road no longer looked unpredictable. She knew where it would lead her. It would take her back to him. She smiled and glanced down at the basket she had forgotten about in her hand. Not yet, first she had an errand to make.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have so many mixed feelings about this scene. On the one hand...really Regina? You really had to go and ruin it for them and plan out this terrible little game. But on the other hand, without this scene...I really don't know if she'd have gone back or not, if she'd realized what was going on with her in time. I do believe that it was at this moment that Belle realized how she felt about him. I think Rumple certainly knew first, or suspected first, his feelings for her and sent her away before anything more could happen, but I think that Belle's knowledge of it came second and it was certainly the result of this conversation. Oh...being a Rumbeller is tough sometimes...is it not?
> 
> Thank you Heart_of_a_oncer for your awesome comments and support! I'm glad that you liked the last chapter and hope you find this one just as good as the last one was! Peace and Happy Reading!


	49. True Love's Kiss

After she'd gathered the straw, as he'd requested, it had been a struggle to keep herself from running back to the castle. She couldn't help the beaming smile she felt on her face. She had a secret and it made her feel more alive than she'd ever felt in her father's palace. Oh, she had felt it before, there with him, only now she knew why. She loved him. She  _loved_ him. And she was nearly certain that he loved her too. Everything that the woman on the road had said made complete sense to her and it was this feeling that made going to the castle seem to take three times as long as it should have.

It was dark when she returned. She looked on the beloved castle with a sigh of relief as she opened the door at the outer wall. The last time she'd left she really hadn't known if she would ever see it again. When she had first arrived, it had seemed like a dark prison. But what a long time ago that had been! Now the very sight of it sent a strange warmth into her belly and the thought of the clean friendly rooms she'd created gave her a small sense of pride. It was different indeed. It was home now. Their home?

She was distracted by a sudden movement in the upper tower, where he worked. Something was in the window, but had quickly moved away. She didn't think it was possible but her smile grew. Had he been staring out the window hoping she'd come back? Had he been sulking over her departure, just like she had been? On the journey back she'd been adding up all of the evidence in her favor. Everything that she had noticed that might suggest that the woman on the road was right, and that he loved her. As she began to walk toward the entrance she silently added that to the list.

She opened the front door with newfound happiness and paused in the entryway, she was home. She stopped at the table to remove her cloak, knowing that the fire in their room would be ablaze and threaten to smoke her out of it if she didn't. Her nerves were already warming her skin, there was no need to overheat and risk melting. Gathering the basket of straw in one hand and draping the cloth over her arm she took a deep breath and stepped forward.

She was about to walk into their room when she found herself coming to an abrupt halt. Her emotions suddenly seemed overwhelming. She was too anxious, and excited, and scared, and happy, and feeling about a million other sensations. Was she really going to do this? Was she really going to walk in there and…she blushed again, feeling like she didn't need the heat to actually melt. How was she going to do this? Could she? She'd had her own kisses stolen from Gaston but she'd never been the one to actually initiate anything! How did a person start something as intimate as a kiss?

Then again, maybe that was the answer. Wasn't it?

Everything else came easily to them: normally, naturally, and, yes, even intimately. Each small step they'd taken toward each other had brought them closer to this moment. And it felt right each and every time, even if they hadn't been trying to make it so. She loved him. That had happened so instinctively she hadn't even noticed it. She was back now. She was free. Nothing could go wrong so long as the two of them were together. She had to hope that this would too. Maybe it wouldn't happen tonight. There was no reason it had to. She'd walk in that door, and instead of planning for it, she'd see where life took them. No matter where or when it happened, she was certain, it would be the perfect time. There would be nothing stolen about that kiss.

With a deep breath she hitched the basket of hay up a little higher and pushed the door open. Suddenly she felt aware of how awkwardly she walked, how eager she must seem. Would he notice? Her walk? Her blush? Her unrestrained smile? Had he been picking up on the little things like this since the beginning? Or was it all in her head?

He was looking over at her, and she was trying not to notice the way his eyes seemed drawn to her. She was trying, but she wasn't successful. How had she gone this long without understanding what that strange feeling in the pit of her stomach was? What his looks and curiosity meant. "Oh, good! You're back already," he said like he always expected she would return. Did he? Did he know that she loved him? Did he know that he loved her? Did he love her?! She placed her cloak over the back of his chair. "Good thing," he said turning back to his spinning wheel, "I'm, uh, I'm nearly out of straw."

Her newfound feelings didn't eliminate her ability to sense what he was feeling, to figure out what he was thinking, just by the look on his face. But it did explain it. And she was happy to see the look that told her that his calm demeanor was a lie. He was probably just as excited as she was, and turning back to his spinning wheel, was merely an attempt to distract himself so that he wouldn't concentrate on her too much. It was as if he couldn't allow himself to feel excited that she was back. Normally knowing the truth would have been enough for her, but she wanted him to know it as well, wanted him to feel it...just like she did. A feeling this big was meant to be shared between two people, she understood that now.

"Mmm," she set the straw down in its proper place, and addressed her suspicions. "Come on, you're happy I'm back!" she exclaimed, teasing the man before her. She held her breath, she wanted to hear him say the words, and waiting on them was agonizing. Being near him felt strange. That nervous fluttering in her stomach seemed to increase as she stood before him, waiting. But this little bubble they seemed to be in, the same one that made her feel eerily nervous, also made her feel warm and safe.

He leaned forward suddenly. "I am not unhappy," he admitted. He couldn't bring himself to say the words, but the ones he had used were as good as a confession. It was as if he was trying to joke, trying to put up an invisible wall he kept his heart behind, but it was a weak attempt. And walking through that barrier was only too easy for her, especially when she considered what exactly those words meant. He was happy she'd come back to him. She walked around the spinning wheel a blush forming on her cheeks. Her nerves couldn't decide if they should reduce or increase. Could he see that? Could he see how she reacted to him? Did he ever think about why that happened?

She took a swallow and stepped up behind him resting her hands on his shoulders unwilling to let him go back to his spinning. "And, uh, you promised me a story," she pointed out, happy that he no longer flinched at her touch or shrunk away from her like he had when she'd first arrived. That all seemed to make sense now too. How could she have missed this?!

"Did I?!" he exclaimed, his voice breaking nervously. She hadn't forgotten their deal. She knew that he hadn't either but rather was hoping that she had, or hoping that she would see he was busy and wouldn't bring it up. She wasn't willing to let him get away that easily though. She had told him her secret thoughts and she wanted to know his. What had happened to his family? His wife? His son? How had he lost him? Who had been in his life since then? Who had cared for him before she came along?

She gave a noise of confirmation and reached down boldly to pluck the string out of his hand and rest it neatly by the spool of thread, then made herself comfortable on the wheel next to him. He observed her, almost like he was afraid of her and startled by her actions. But it was endearing. Had he ever been afraid of a deal that he had made before? Had anyone ever taken this much interest in him? Taken this much control over a situation? Or over his life? She doubted it. She dared to make another move, cross another barrier, and rested her hand on his leg. She meant it to comfort him, an intimate gesture between friends to let him know that even if the story was tragic, as she suspected it was, it couldn't scare her away. It couldn't make her see him any different, and she would be there for whatever he needed. Her heart fluttered in her chest. How had it taken her this long to realize she loved him? Hadn't she seen how wholly devoted to him she was already? "Tell me about your son," she encouraged gently.

"Ah..." he flexed his fingers nervously like he was trying to figure out how to put as much distance between them as he could, but couldn't bring himself to move away from her. The distance he sought wasn't physical. "Well," the idea of telling this story scared him, she could see that, but she wanted him to tell her. She wanted him to know that he could tell her anything, his secrets would be safe with her. "I lost him," he said finally repeating the words he had earlier, the same words he'd used when she asked about it before. His smile was pained and his eyes were tortured with whatever memory lay behind them. It was that look that told her how truly tragic the tale was, even if he didn't give her any new information.

"There's nothing more to tell really," he said putting up his guards again. There was more to tell, she could sense it. But it was okay, she didn't need to hear that story yet. They were making their own. There would be plenty of time to learn but she had to know how this would turn out first. And maybe he would be more willing to tell her the rest of the story if he knew what she was to him...what he was to her.

"And since then..." she swallowed, looking up at him saddened by his words and emotions but also so nervous she could barely stand to sit still, "you've loved no one...and no one has loved you."

He seemed to stare at her for a while, like he suspected he knew the meaning behind her questions and the words that she'd used but couldn't believe it. It wouldn't surprise her if he did know the meaning, words were an art form to him. But, still, it was a strange look and an even stranger reaction. There seemed to be a million emotions behind it, too many to pick out. It was like the question tortured him in some way, but she couldn't figure out why it would. He leaned closer to her, and regarded her as he never had before. It was as if he could see deeper into her than anyone ever had in her life. Maybe he did.

"Why did you come back?" he whispered. He was asking a question, but it didn't sound like one. She wasn't even sure he was asking her. It was as if he was asking the universe, fate, maybe even destiny, why she had come back. There was an accusation buried deep beneath the words. And looking at him now she realized that the mask she had seen come and go wasn't just lowered, it was gone. He was upset, but he was also afraid, as if returning had confirmed his worst fear as well as his deepest desire. He knew why she had come back, and it scared him, terrified him by the looks of it. But he couldn't seem to pull himself away from her. Was it because he felt the same sensations that she felt drawing her closer to him? If the woman on the road was right, he loved her, what could scare him so much? Did he think it was his looks? That didn't matter to her. What she had seen of who he was inside was far more beautiful to her.

"I wasn't going to," she admitted, her heart speeding up. They were drawing closer, like two magnets that had no choice but to attach themselves to one another. She was nervous. She'd kissed a man before. But never romantically. Gaston's kisses were always quick and possessive, like he'd been doing it to let the world know she was his, but the second he'd been gone, she'd quickly sneered and wiped her mouth on the back of her hand. But this, this would be different. She knew that it would be, if only she could convince herself to close the distance between them. "But, then..." she was shaking, her knees knocking together nervously. Then what?! She had met a mysterious woman on the road who had told her of her heart's desire and sent her back here? "Something changed my mind," she chose to say instead of giving a full account. It was now or never. There was nothing she needed to say, nothing he needed to know. And if she didn't do it now her courage might wane.

It was the longest and slowest moment of her life. He was right there! But he seemed so far away. She was happy to see, though, that she wasn't making the journey completely on her own. He leaned in too, if only slightly, and with confidence she closed her eyes, deciding to let her body do what should come naturally. Her mouth seemed to know where it was going and she was surprised to find soft lips suddenly against hers.

She was right. It was different. This was perfect. She was no expert, not on kissing. But was it her imagination, or was he kissing her back? It wasn't much, they simply held on for longer than she expected, savoring the feel of something much more intimate than the touch of a hand or a hug, and something far more natural and instinctual than holding his arms out to catch her when she fell. It was the happiest place in the world, and her instincts screamed at her to wrap her arms around him and allow him to envelop her completely, that she wanted more, that she needed more than just a gentle brush of lips. But she couldn't, she had to see first, she had to know.

So she opened her eyes and was met with a sight more beautiful than anything she could have ever dreamed of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just take it in for a minute. Enjoy it, feel it...because it really doesn't get any better than this. No really...it doesn't...not in this fiction at least! MS&U...sure it will, but this is about it for now. Sorry. And I know that the moment here seems long and drawn out...totally on purpose. Mostly because in that moment I felt like it was longer than it actually was. At a certain point I felt like I was yelling "Just do it already!" and then to find out it was only like a minute long! I really was just trying to recreate that.
> 
> Huge thank you for the wonderful comments on the last chapter Oncer4Life69Dearie and Heart_of_a_oncer. I'm so happy that you were happy to see Regina...or...you know...upset and happy all at the same time. Really I'm just glad I'm not the only one that is conflicted about those scenes! Well...if ya'll are ready...on to the next! Peace and Happy Reading!


	50. Accusations

It was the most beautiful sight she'd ever seen. Although she'd been expecting and hoping for it, she hadn't been prepared for it and her mouth fell open with a silent gasp that turned into a happy smile. "Oh, what's happening?" he muttered. She knew exactly what was happening, she could see it, but he couldn't. How must it have felt for the one experiencing this wonderful transformation?! Before her eyes that greenish gold tint to his skin suddenly began to fade away. Starting with his lips, the place she had kissed him first and moving outward: nose, cheeks, chin, even his hair was taking on a lighter more natural shade.

It had worked. She'd broken his curse! Which could only mean one thing: he was her true love. No wonder she'd felt drawn to him, no wonder she'd never feared him, he was meant for her and she had been meant for him. There was a whole new world of possibilities opening up for them now, and she wanted nothing more than for the transformation to be complete and for them to begin discovering it together!

Boldly she reached out and pushed the soft hair away from his face. "Kiss me again!" she begged. His eyes. She could see his eyes now. Gazing down at her were no longer those strange searing reptilian eyes but gentle brown ones. They watched her with the same interest the others had as she spoke the words. They were taking in every sensation every word that she had said, trying to comprehend what had just happened, trying to understand. "It's working," she exclaimed for his sake and to her own relieved nerves.

"What is?" he asked his voice deep without any hint of the high pitches she'd become so accustomed to. And her heart skipped a beat as she felt him reach out for her, placing his hands at her waist. It was so natural, so perfect. Yet still he looked confused. It was like he was getting his senses back, his eyes squinting like they had to, for the first time, adjust to the low light around them. It was almost as if he was coming out of a dizzy spell, and she was grateful that he'd been sitting down. This moment couldn't have been more perfect, couldn't have been any better if she'd had a hundred years to plan it.

She smoothed his hair back and looked at him, excited for what had happened, excited to tell him what she had learned, and excited to see what he would do with himself now. "Any curse can be broken!" she whispered to him, repeating the words the woman on the road spoke to her only a short while ago. She watched him as his jaw dropped and the words sunk in. She waited for the reaction, wondering what would happen next, what he would do what he would say. She waited to see the amazement and wonder on his face at what had been done.

Suddenly he pulled away from her so violently that it sent the stool he'd been sitting on flying across the room. "Who told you that?!" he yelled. Her jaw dropped, not only was this not the reaction she'd been planning on but the sudden violent outburst seemed to have stopped any progress that the curses cure had made and she found herself staring back at the same monstrous form she'd been confronting since she first laid eyes on him months ago. "Who knows that?!" he demanded when she didn't answer. She'd been so shocked that she forgot he'd asked her a question.

She still felt shocked, she couldn't believe this was happening, couldn't believe what she was staring at and didn't understand how they'd gone from sharing a kiss to screaming. "I, I don't know…" Her brain seemed to have paused and she had to shake her head and look away from him to try and get it to work again. Who'd told her that? She knew the answer to this question. "She, she, uh, she-"

"She…" he muttered like the word was as good as a name to him. She took a risk and looked up at him to see him stride over to that mirror that he kept covered up! The one that he'd warned her about uncovering, telling her that she could never tell what would be looking back at her. She stood to watch his actions, equal parts amazed and disappointed. No matter how much she wanted to she couldn't seem to stop watching him.

"You. Evil. Soul!" he shouted, punctuating each word with anger. And despite his earlier warnings he snapped the thick covering off of the glass and looked into the mirror. She saw nothing. Nothing but him and her own reflection wringing her hands nervously as she wondered what she should do now. "This was you!" he yelled at the mirror, still no one appeared. "You turned her against me!" She walked forward wondering if she would see something different if only she got closer to the object. But it was just a mirror, he was only talking to himself. No, there had to be more to this! She had never known him to be insane, or act this way before. There had to be someone he was talking to...somehow. "You think you can make me weak," he accused. "You think you can defeat me!"

"Who are you talking to?" she asked bravely, finally getting her thoughts together. Was there any way this moment could be salvaged?

"The Queen!" he squealed into the mirror, then turned and faced her. "Your friend the Queen!" The Queen? The Evil Queen? She'd known of her but she'd never met her. Her village had never involved themselves with her affairs especially after all the rumors started. Why would she be friends with a person like that? "How did she get to you?" he asked through gritted teeth.

She didn't like the look on his face. He'd never looked at her with that much anger in all the time since she'd been here. Not even when she had freed Robin Hood. And though she'd never feared him, she suddenly feared his temper and his words. He needed to calm down, he needed to understand. She needed to understand! "The, the Queen?" she stuttered with a shake of her head. None of what he was saying made sense to her. "I don't…"

"I knew this was a trick," he accused, creeping closer to her with all the grace of a hunter stalking his prey. She had to fight the urge to run. "I knew you could never care for me." Care for him? She'd just broken his curse! How could she not care for him?! Whatever anger he had toward the Queen, the rage was blinding him, making him unable to see what he had right in front of his eyes. "Oh, yeah," he whispered like he'd just pieced everything together. "You're working for her," he accused, she meant to defend herself but he cut her off again. "Or is this all you?" he questioned. "Is this you being the hero and killing the beast?"

She had to get him to see. She wasn't trying to hurt him she was trying to help him! How could he have seen a curse breaking as threatening? "It was working-"

"Shut up!" he screamed.

"This means it's true love!" she shouted back, hoping the words would reach the man inside of him.

"Shut the hell up!" he yelled louder.

"Why won't you believe me?" she cried, begged really. But he was gone, the monster was fighting back and had his claws in him so deep that she had never seen him acting this bad in all the time they'd had! How could this have happened? It should have been easy. So why was she trying to prove something to him with words when her actions should have been all the proof he needed.

Suddenly the monster grabbed her roughly around the arms and shook her furiously. She closed her eyes trying to brace herself against his rage. "Because no one, no one, can ever, ever, love me!" he screamed. He released one of her arms and pulled, practically dragged, her toward the hall and down into the dungeons. She fought him at first but the grip on her arm only tightened, enough to know that she would be seeing bruises there in no time at all.

Before her suddenly was the cell that she'd spent her months living in. She was forcefully thrown into the dungeon and landed, fortunately enough, on all fours, her palms scrapping against the stone and her knees stinging painfully as they caught her weight and absorbed the blow. She felt a brief moment of thankfulness that it wasn't her nose that had met the hard stone surface, and then she heard the door creak closed and slam shut behind her.

The click of the lock seemed to echo inside the hallow space, taunting her failed actions. But it wasn't loud enough to drown out the sound of the tears that suddenly began streaming down her face, the sharp intakes of scared and ragged breaths, and the wrenching sound of her heart beat as it began to break. She balled herself up there on the ground and wept as she realized what had just happened. It seemed clear enough to her. It only took one moment for the delicate pieces of her soul to shatter into a million broken shards. And she didn't know if they could ever be put back together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sigh...sometimes, I'll be honest, I'm not even sure how they recover from this. It's sad that this happened, but I'm glad that they did recover from it and go on. And I'm glad that they didn't make us wait for seasons until Belle returned like I initially feared they would. Not that it matters, after this there are a lot of problems for them to work out that don't include this little spat.
> 
> Thank you for your comments on the last chapter Heart_of_a_oncer! Vastly appreciated, I assure you! Peace and Happy Reading!


	51. Brave Words of Truth

She couldn't sleep. She couldn't eat. She couldn't move. Not even to sip the tea that had appeared in the cell with her chipped cup overnight. She just sat there, staring at the door, willing it to open for her. She had spent the endless hours thinking of every possible scenario of what would happen when it did finally give way. In her imagination, she had already stormed out without a word, rushed off to talk to him, yelled at him, and insisted that she was going to stay. In her mind he had responded with every possible reaction: he'd told her she was right and begged for forgiveness, he hadn't said anything and stalked off, he'd watched her silently leave, and he told her that he couldn't stand the thought of her going because he loved her.

He did. He did love her. That much was clear. The curse had been breaking. And when she thought back to the moment before he had realized what was happening and it became obvious. He had kissed her back. He had reached for her as his skin had changed and grasped her waist gently like she was the only one that he had ever needed, like he wanted more of her. He was her true love, and she was his. He knew it...but he didn't want to believe it. It wasn't her. It was the power. She had assumed that he wanted to be freed from his curse but obviously, that was not the case. His curse gave him the power and it had become so much a part of him it was no wonder that he had lost track of the man inside. He was so desperate to hold on to that infernal power that he had convinced himself that no one could ever love him. She could. Even after all this, she knew that she still could, if only he would just admit it. If he would let her go and choose her over his power, she could help him to see how much of a man he really was.

As if she had summoned him, the door to her prison suddenly swung open with a creak and banged against the wall. She startled at the sound and stared as he walked into the small room. All the words, all the imaginary conversations that she'd had here alone left her mind. She'd built a cocoon of courage in this cell and now that the door was open it was escaping her. She swallowed hard, trying to slow her heartbeat and not burst into tears at the sight of him. Words. She needed words.

"So," she whispered, hoping he could hear her meek voice. "What are you going to do to me?" She had wondered this the entire time. Would she spend the remainder of her life locked in this little cell? Would they work out what had happened? Or would he just decide that she was still his maid and they would remain together in painful separation for all of their days? She didn't think she could bear that. Not knowing what she knew.

He was watching her, just as she was him, with the same amount of pain on his face that she bore. She didn't expect it to be an easy decision but she still wanted an answer. He raised his arm and pointed at the door, and with his teeth clenched together ordered simply, "Go."

"Go?" she prompted, never had such a simple word confounded her or held so much? Go?! Go where? The Library? Clean? Out of this terrible cell? She watched, expecting him to say more to her, to explain. Instead, he turned his back on her, not saying a word.

"I don't want you anymore, dearie."

Her chest heaved with his words. She'd faced this in her mind, but she didn't actually think this would be how he'd respond. At the very least she expected to remain here in some capacity. She didn't expect the words to be like that though. She felt like it was ages ago when she'd first shown up and been locked in and called "dearie". He was putting space between them again, separating them not just physically but also emotionally. "Dearie" made her no better than the nameless people he made deals with. He was attempting to make it easier. On who? Himself? Her? It was much too late for that.

She could feel the tears swelling in her eyes as she stood and brushed herself off, daring to give him a glance. This was it? After everything he'd been through this was really how it was going to end? One poorly timed decision and he dismissed her with a few unfeeling words?! She felt her legs carry her out of the cell, all the time hoping he would call her back at the last minute and say something. But he didn't. And it made her feel...

It made her feel strong?! A rush of intense courage flooded her body making her stop just outside the door. If he wanted her to go, to spend the rest of his days cursed and alone, then she would leave. It was supposed to be easy for two people truly in love, and she didn't want to fight for something that should have, that had, come to them naturally. But she wouldn't leave him with the upper hand in this. What was happening wasn't her fault, he had made the choice and he had to know exactly what he had chosen.

Riding the wave of bravery she turned on her heel and stormed back into the place that was her prison, that he was voluntarily locking himself into. She stepped in front of him, forcing him to take his eyes off the window and meet her gaze. After this moment he could put all the space between the two of them that he wanted, but for now she was going to break into as much of it as she could. It was her last stand.

"You were freeing yourself!" she yelled, her voice raw from the tears she had cried for him. "You could have had happiness if you just believed someone could want you!" She could see the sadness painted on his face. But she couldn't allow herself to feel sorry for him. He was doing this to himself, not her. "But you couldn't take the chance."

"That's a lie" he whispered.

She shook her head at the words and took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down and find the words that she needed to say because she knew that she might never get this opportunity again. It wasn't a lie. If it were he wouldn't look this sad, he wouldn't look like his best friend in the world had just died, maybe she had. She certainly didn't feel like the person she was when she befriended him. She took a step closer to him, closer than she'd ever dared come before she'd kissed him. "You're a coward, Rumpelstiltskin," she didn't know where the words were coming from, only that they were true. "And no matter how thick you make your skin, that doesn't change."

He didn't yell, and he didn't interrupt, he didn't even give an inappropriate giggle. "I'm not a coward, dearie," he whispered harshly. Something about her words had touched a nerve, and he was just as human with her as she was him. Good, he owed her that much. "It's quite simple really, my power means more to me than you." Anyone else might have taken him at his word, but it was too late for her. She'd been with him too long, she'd peered behind his mask; she knew what he was really thinking and feeling. He couldn't hide from her. He did love her, and he did love his power. He wasn't his mother, who had given him up for the prospect of power, but he was acting like her! He was different. His power wasn't what he treasured; it was his shield. And like any good coward would he was using it to protect himself against the fear he was really feeling.

She took another step forward "No," she answered looking at his face. If this was it, then he was going to know exactly what she knew and what he wouldn't let himself know. "No, it doesn't. You just don't think I can love you." This time it was him that had to take a deep breath. She saw the shock under his stony expressionless face. She had been right. All along, she had been right. And he couldn't hide the panic shining in his eyes. He was trying to hurt her. He was trying to make her leave. If he didn't, she knew, as well as he, one day she might really wear him down, and he wasn't willing to risk that. She wasn't going to live her life like that. He didn't have to make her leave. She had heard all she needed to and she was about to make it very easy for him.

Her heart pounded against her ribs. She wanted everything to be forgiven; she wanted him to admit it to her, but she needed to say the next words. And they were the most difficult words she'd ever said in her life. More difficult than her first "thank you", than the "yes" she'd said to her father about marrying Gaston, more difficult than the words "I will go with you, forever". But she'd managed once, she would manage now.

"Now you've made your choice. And you're going to regret it..." she tried not to think of what would become of him after she left. What her life would be like now that she would never see him again. But the images crept into her mind, and they were the catalyst that broke her voice and made her eyes swim with tears. Him sitting alone by the fire. Her reading a book that would never truly satisfy. Making deals. Cleaning kitchens. "Forever..." one look at his eyes told her that the words were sinking into him, and he knew they were true. No adventure, no story, no amount of time, no thought would ever compare to what they had shared. "All you'll have is an empty heart," she had to take a deep breath to make sure that her words weren't coming out in an agonizing cry as she felt her heart begin to shrivel in her chest for what she was about to do to them both, "and a chipped cup!" She bit off the last word and watched him. His face showed signs of the hurt that she was feeling but he didn't act on them. She could.

Not being able to say good-bye, and not being able to hold the hurt in any longer she turned on her heel and hurried out of the dungeon. She marched up the stairs, their favorite room blurring as tears clouded her sight, vaguely aware of the strange crunching under her feet. She pulled open the heavy wooden door and ran down the path, putting as much space between the two of them as she could, not even daring to glance back at the place she felt like she was leaving her heart. She just hoped that he somehow knew that, and that he would keep it safe for her. She may not have the gift of knowing the future, but she hoped she was wrong. She hoped the two of them could scrape together what was left of their tragic cowardly lives and move on, but she suspected it wouldn't be possible. How could they after what had passed between them?

Her legs failed her. She found herself on that same road she had first met the strange woman, the Evil Queen she supposed if his guess was correct, and exhausted from running, mind racing a mile a minute, her legs fell out from under her, and she collapsed against a tree. It was there that she let out the most heart breaking cry that she had ever heard in her life and allowed herself to sob.

She hoped they wouldn't regret this choice, but as another howl worked its way passed her lips, she doubted it just as much as she knew she'd always love him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so it has happened. We're not done yet. MK&U features everything that happens up until the curse hits so we've still got the adventure with Mulan and some captivity to go before we're done. I know there is not more physical Rumbelle from this point on but I think you'll find that there is still plenty of Rumbelle angst to go around and a lot of awesome scenes that are important for the rest of Moments! Don't leave me now ya'll, Moments is just getting started!
> 
> Thank you Heart_of_a_oncer for your comments on the previous chapter! Short chapter, but I'm glad that you thought it was well done, even if the subject/scene is one we never wished would have happened. Peace and Happy Reading!


	52. Love is Hope

She had been stupid really. Wandering around, village to village, not really caring if she ate or if she drank, not paying attention to how tired she really was instead of just exhausted and heartbroken. It was unnatural; being separated from a person's true love. There was a reason that people who were in love got married and had babies and seemed to be eternally happy. It was because not being with them was a fate worse than death. Or so it seemed to her.

But it had gotten her here at least. It had shown her that there were still good people in the world. In hindsight she probably should have just gone to the valley village by his castle, but instead she'd wanted to be as far away from there as she possibly could, she wanted to be somewhere no one would recognize her as her old self or as Rumpelstiltskin's...as a caretaker. And so she'd wandered for days on end before her body had been unable to cope, unable to handle the stress that she was putting it through and it wasn't long after arriving here that she realized, too late it seemed, that the pain and discomfort she was feeling wasn't from her soul, but her body in need of the food, water, and rest she'd denied it. Her head had been spinning when she saw the unfamiliar tavern but she somehow managed to wander in and ask, beg, for something to drink before her world went black.

Upon waking, she discovered that she'd passed out. At least that's what the wife of the man who owned the tavern told her when she woke up in the strange room. She'd been placed in one of the upper rooms they used for travelers, given water, slept, and after a few days had returned to the land of the living, if she could call it that. She was weak, but still alive. She'd vowed then that she wasn't going to let what had happened kill her off entirely, as it almost had. It could take her soul, she didn't want it any more, she didn't need one that was infected with his glances and small touches, one that lifted at the sound of his voice, and fell when he told her to "go!" She could make a new soul for herself, she already had a body to put it in, she just had to remember to take care of it.

After a few more days of rest, water, and food the owners of the tavern allowed her to stay if she worked for a lower wage to pay back the debt she owed them. In return, and besides that wage, they would give her a meal and a place to stay the night until she could get on her feet again. It was a generous offer and she'd taken them up on it right away. There was no reason not to in her mind. She had nowhere else to go. No one waiting for her. She didn't want to be a princess again; she wasn't ready to face that. So she had simply given them the name Belle, and hoped that it was common enough and far enough away from the rumors that she wouldn't be known.

The town wasn't so bad. It was a mining town. The tavern was often filled with men who earned wages during the day and came here to drink away their sorrows and forget their pitiful day to day lives in the evening. And then there were the funny dwarfs who came in after their shift in the mines. They stood out simply because they were happy with their work and enjoyed each others presence. Her job here was simple. She would wait at night for everyone to leave so that she could help to clean the bar in the morning's light. The wife of the owner who she was friendly with but wouldn't say that she was friends with, gave her free ale and left her to silence her own despair with it. It was often loud but she liked it that way. Between the ale that seemed to dull the voice in her head and the noise that drowned it out she very rarely had time to think about anything...especially him.

Tonight she was watching the table of dwarfs across from her, enjoying each other's company, playing jokes, and laughing just like always. She felt a stab of pain as she watched them. She'd never feel that way again. No, he'd kept the part of her that allowed her to feel things like happiness. And just the act of watching others having a good time made her feel ill and like crying. She turned her attention away from the happy dwarfs, and back to the one that seemed isolated from the rest. He was watching the others with that same look of wanting to feel happiness but not being able. She wondered if that was just part of his personality or if something was wrong, but she couldn't bring herself to ask him. Her days of trying to help were over. Anna, Samuel, Rumple...it never did seem to work out.

And it appeared she didn't need to, another dwarf had noticed his detached demeanor and come over taking the seat opposite him. "What's the matter?" he asked. She turned her head, eager to hear what it was bothering the poor dwarf but trying to appear as she wasn't listening and that she didn't care what was happening with him. "You've barely touched your food."

"I don't know," the dwarf answered with a confused sigh. "I can't eat, I can't sleep, I don't feel at all like myself. Maybe I should have Doc take a look at me," he mused. Now she tried not to listen. She knew the cause of those symptoms and she could barely deal with her own heartache, the last thing she needed was to deal with his as well.

"You're going to trust a dwarf that got his medical degree from a pick axe?" Despite trying not to listen the words still found their way to her, determined to make her think about what she didn't want to. Though she had to admit, the comment did make her smirk a bit. Not only did the dwarf have a good point, but no doctor would ever be able to tell him what was wrong. His physical problems were only a manifestation of the emotional turmoil within him. "I wouldn't worry about it, dwarfs don't get sick. Must be in your head," the other dwarf hypothesized.

"It's not in his head it's in his heart..." she muttered to herself, but it had come out too loudly and both of the dwarfs turned to look at her. Her eyes widened as she realized what had happened. She hadn't wanted to get involved but it looked as though her mouth had other plans. Couldn't she do anything right anymore? The dwarfs stared at her, not because they were angry that she'd been listening but rather they looked like they wanted her to explain further. They already knew she'd been snooping, so she may as well. Shrugging her shoulders like it was nothing, but still unable to come up with a decent friendly smile she stated "You're in love."

She hoped it was the only explanation that they would need. That the light bulb would click and they would laugh at how silly it was they hadn't realized it to begin with, but instead the dwarf across from him rebuked her theory. "Aw, that's impossible. Dwarfs can't fall in love!"

She found herself leaning forward, if monsters could fall in love, if a beast could become a man again because of love, then there was no doubt in her mind. Dwarfs most certainly could fall in love. "Trust me," she muttered, trying to sound pleasant and not pessimistic about the concept that had ruined her life instead of completing it. "I know love and you're in it," she said regretfully. Part of her wished she didn't know the look of it so well, that she had never known it, but that idea gave her a pain in her chest that was even more numbing than the idea of never having met him. So she wished instead that there could have been a better outcome to their story.

The other dwarf gave a dismissive hand wave at her ideas and left, but the other one, the dwarf suffering turned toward her with great interest. "What's it like?" he asked eagerly.

It was like having a knife in your chest and someone turning it just for fun. It was like free falling off a cliff and reaching a terrible sudden ending as body met ground. It was like having your heart ripped from your chest and being held captive to another. It...wasn't that bad.

It  _couldn't_  be as bad as all that. If it was, then true love wouldn't be known for love, it would be called "true pain" or "true suffering" instead. That was what her true love had felt like…did feel like, and that was precisely the problem. The dwarf hadn't been rejected by his true love, not yet at least. And besides, the thought of him, being with him, and the idea of true love, hadn't always been that painful to her. It hadn't all been bad. It might have been at the end, but before...that was a different emotion, a different feeling all together. For the first time in weeks she found herself giving a smile and blushing as she remembered him catching her off the ladder, the look he'd given her when she'd first worn her blue dress, and even the feel of him sitting next to her on the table as they'd reflected on his past, and the looks he'd given her as she'd spoken of her hopes and dreams.

No, it wasn't all bad.

"It's the most wonderful and amazing thing in the world," she explained, focusing on those moments. How to describe that feeling seemed impossible, but then again, she wasn't explaining it to someone who'd never had it. He was in it. Right now. Her thoughts would make more sense to him than they would to anyone else in the world. "Love is hope," she reflected, thinking back to the moment of perfection just before she'd made the terrible decision to kiss him. "It fuels our dreams," or in her case it made a Princess realize that for the first time in her life she didn't need to be a princess, or a hero. From where she sat now all the ambitions she'd ever had paled in comparison to the dream that she had left behind. As long as he was by her side she could do anything, be anything. And if she wasn't…love could also destroy those dreams in an instant.

But he didn't need to hear that now, it was the one part of the story, he wouldn't understand. "And if you're in it," she continued after a pause, "you need to enjoy it," she insisted, wishing that she'd had more time to enjoy the feeling of being in love with him. Savor the idea that someone loved her back in that way, before the brief knowledge that she had love had ended so suddenly. "Because love doesn't always last forever," she whispered. Her mind remembered that terrible feeling of being rejected. Was it that love didn't last forever or just that he was incapable of returning it? Sometimes she still felt like she loved him, thought that if she didn't then it wouldn't still hurt her to think of him and their time together. It was a thought that kept her awake at night and the one she tried to avoid during the day.

"But if love's so great, why do I feel so bad right now?" he asked, voicing the very question that went through her mind several times every day. She knew the answer to it as well. She'd had too much time to think about it.

"You need to be with the person you love," she explained. Nothing would be right for him until he was with her again, which was why nothing would ever be right for her again; why she couldn't smile anymore.

"Yeah, but, how do I know she feels the same way. All she talked about was going to see some fireflies, not loving me." She was glad he had moved onto the next question quickly, the idea of explaining how you knew another person loved you wasn't one that she was comfortable talking about. In fact, this entire conversation had gotten far too personal for her taste and she was already feeling the lump in her throat when he asked his question. She might not know much about love, but she was a girl after all. What he was asking her had less to do about love and more to do about how women communicated. She could translate easily enough.

"What, what did she tell you about these fireflies?" she asked suspiciously.

"Ah, that she was going to go see them on the hilltop tonight, that she heard they were the most beautiful sight in all the land." There was a memory there in the back of her mind as the dwarf spoke, a memory of hiding away in some obscure corner of the castle so that he would come find her and make a request that would inevitably place her in the same room as he was. She hadn't done it purposefully at first, but as time wore on she found herself not just wondering if he would find her but hoping that he would. That had been before she knew she'd loved him, and she hadn't known then why she had the urge to stay in his company. She understood now, and the memory along with the clueless nature that the dwarf had for it made her laugh. A real laugh. It appeared she could smile or laugh, but only when he was in her head in some way.

"What?!" the dwarf demanded, and she quickly wiped the smile off her face, not wanting him to think that she was insulting him.

"She wasn't telling you about the fireflies," she explained, "she was inviting you to go be with her."

"You think so?" the dwarf smiled, elated at the thought that her words might be true.

She nodded. "I've had my heart broken enough to know when somebody's is reaching out," she explained willing herself not to cry again. She could feel the tears forming in her eyes, feel the corners of her mouth turning down again to resume their perpetual frown. She had tried, she had reached out, and no one had caught her that time. Suddenly a loud, joyful cry erupted from the other dwarfs at the table and it distracted him enough to look away from her and gave her the opportunity to collect her thoughts, her tears, and emotions so she could shove them back down for a few more minutes. She'd have to go soon, lock herself in the tiny room that she had and cry again. There was no way to contain it these days, but at least she was getting better at sensing the arrival of the break down they brought with them.

"Now go!" she told the dwarf as he looked back over at her. What was he waiting here for? If she was out there, then there was only one place he needed to be. "Find your love, find your hope, find your dreams!" she encouraged, wishing that she had better luck doing that herself.

"I will!" he said standing, bouncing excitedly on his toes. "I will," he restated almost nervously, "I mean...my name isn't Dreamy for nothing...right?" She smirked at him, the closest thing to a genuine smile she could give at the moment. He made a step forward then turned back to her. "Wait. How do I thank you? I don't even know your name."

She smiled at his words. He was a sweet dwarf, but he was also wasting time, and she didn't much feel like being thanked. "My name is Belle," she answered. "And you can thank me by going to see her." Dreamy beamed at her. "Go," she repeated, and with a last glance at the dwarves he disappeared out the door. They hadn't even noticed him go. She hoped he would find her tonight, hoped that he would get what he wanted, hoped that she hadn't just sent a good innocent soul off into the world to be devoured, just as hers had been.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One of the easiest and hardest jobs with keeping up with moments is the little things. Like, for example, in 2x11 how did Dreamy know Belle's name and how did Belle know Dreamy's name when neither really introduced themselves in 1x14. Fortunately for me, this time around it was very easy. Just extend the scene a little to include introductions and it all works out in the end. I can't tell you how happy I am about that. Other little things like that, Robin Hood and how he knew Belle's name and how Belle recognized him, for example, are more difficult to fit in and need an entire chapter edited in. I'm so happy this one wasn't difficult. Really, really happy!
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	53. Second Chances

It was hard to feel sorry for yourself when there was someone yelling in your ear. In fact, it was downright unfair. She was trying her best to forget her life, to drown her sorrows in a good book, and the amount of ale that she had shouldn't have made it difficult. But the man yelling at the top of his voice only a few feet away was. "There's a fearsome beast ravaging a faraway land," he told the crowd gathered around him. What caught her attention was the word "beast." She had just left a man who might be called a beast. Was that who he was talking about? Was she close to him? Was this "ravaging" something that he was responsible for? "His eyes burn with fire," the man added. No, then. This really was an animal of some kind. It was a beast, but it wasn't her beast. She couldn't tell if she was happy about that or sad. She should probably be happy. After what happened the last time that they had spoken she should never want to see that man again. But she couldn't deny that she had felt her stomach do a hopeful flop when she heard the word.

It was a silly reaction. What did she expect would happen if it had been him they were talking about? Would she walk up to him? Tell him off? Face the beast, break the spell, and save the day?! Her heart sank at the words. No, she'd been there. She'd done the first and tried the second. All it had gotten her was an angry rejection, no home, and a lot of heartache. She'd spent countless days thinking about that day, wondering where it all went wrong, dreaming about what she could have done differently. Finally she was to the point of accepting that she couldn't do anything about the past and it was no use torturing herself over. Funny how easy it was to believe this about others, but when she was thinking about herself it was much more difficult.

She was fine. Really, she was. The nice people at the tavern gave her a small room and a dinner for cleaning rooms during the day and the tavern in the early morning hours after everyone left. She'd made quick friends with the town librarian and in return for helping him around the shop he gave her all the books she could read and the occasional scrap of food. Bed, food, work, and books. What more could she need? She was fine. Just fine.

But sometimes she found herself wondering if anyone had ever died from not being around their true love. Because as much as she wanted to hate him, she couldn't deny what she had seen. True loves kiss could break any curse and hers had, therefore whether he liked it or not, wanted it or not, he was her true love. And after months of standing behind him, of feeling things inside her that she'd never felt before, after falling in love, sometimes it hurt more than the ale could numb. So he didn't want her, so he'd rather live with his power than take a chance on her, that was all well and good for him, but what about her. He had made up his mind, but that meant that she had to live with his choice as well. It simply wasn't fair! And so she had to cope. She would sit. She would read her books and drink her ale and continue to tell herself that she was fine.

And maybe if she kept telling herself that, one day she would wake up and it would be true.

"It's called the Yaoguai," the man explained, tearing her thoughts away from the man who held them. She watched him carefully, her interest suddenly sparking at the monsters name. The Yaoguai? As in the Yaoguai that she had read about? As in the subject of the book that she had recently translated for the librarian? "No man has been able to kill it. But we will!" he yelled with confidence. A beast, fiery eyes, hard to kill...that description of the creature sounded about right for the creature. "There's room on our wagon, who's going to join us?" she watched as the crowd raised their hands and voices volunteering to go but judging by the crew that he was gathering she doubted they would get the results they were after. They had no idea what they were walking into by going after a creature like that.

But she did.

The stray thought made her smile, made her want to laugh at her own foolishness. It was absurd really. Hadn't she learned her lesson? She couldn't save a single man, why should she think that she could save an entire village?! But still, the thought of going on a new adventure instead of sitting here and feeling sorry for herself was tempting.

"Looking for an adventure?" She glanced up at the voice that had dared her very thoughts. The dwarf. The one from the other night, who hadn't known that he was in love. He stood before her now, a beautiful smile shining on his face. It was contagious and she found herself smiling as she looked at him. He certainly looked better than he had when she had last seen him. Happier. What had happened between then and now?

"Dreamy, right?" she asked, trying to recall his name.

"Yes," he blushed. "I came to thank you," he said setting his mug down and joining her at the table. She hadn't any idea what on earth he was thanking her for and must have given him a curious look, as he continued to explain. "That advice you gave me last night, it worked. Nova and I are running away together!"

She laughed with happiness as the incident triggered her memory. The girl that had been trying to tell him to meet her must have been Nova. She'd told him to go to her. Apparently it had been a fruitful endeavor. At least she had the power to connect others with their true loves. Now if only she could come up with some idea that would help her. No! She pushed the depressing words out of her mind. It would be easy to let herself feel sad at a time like this, but this wasn't about her, it was about Dreamy and Nova. She had to focus on that.

"That's wonderful" she reached forward and placed her hands over his. She took a deep breath reminding herself that just because she couldn't have love didn't mean that others in the world suffered the same fate. Sometimes things did work out. Sometimes she could give good advice. She couldn't be right all the time, but after her last decision had gone so horribly wrong, it was good to remember that it wasn't her. She wasn't broken, and she could still do good things.

She glanced automatically over at the table where the man was now having the villagers of this small town sign their names to the paper for the journey. She could still do good...couldn't she? "You should sign up!" Dreamy suggested, following her gaze and reading the interest that was so obviously plastered across her face. She laughed at herself as the result of her last "heroic adventure" seemed to flash before her eyes. She'd had her turn. She'd done what her mother had done and saved her village despite the outcome for her. The wound was still raw, she wondered if it ever wouldn't be. That alone was enough to remind her of her newfound place in this world. She was a princess turned caretaker turned barmaid. And her days of taming beasts were over.

She shook her head. "I've always dreamt of heroics," she explained, "but I think it's safer to stick to my books," that way when something tragic happened at least it didn't hurt as much as her life did. But how was she suppose to tell a person who was about to run away with their true love that she'd been burned so badly by her own she never wanted to step outside this small provincial life again. Her final words to him replayed in her mind and she could feel every emotion she'd felt in that moment come back to her. She never wanted to feel that way again. No, her books were definitely safer. "They're the only adventures I know that have happy endings," she muttered. She wasn't going to cry. Not again. She was done wasting her tears on someone who would never care about her the same way she did about him.

"Maybe this one will have one too!" Dreamy commented. He was just trying to help, and it was sweet how he was trying to return the favor. But, unless he could turn back time, what had become of her life was nothing that anyone else could fix. And as far as that adventure went, well her opinion of the men going hadn't exactly changed in the short time she'd been watching them. They had no idea what they were up against.

"I, uh, I doubt it. Last time I faced a beast it didn't end well," she hadn't meant to share it, she didn't want someone so happy to suffer through her miserable story, but she hoped that he would take the tone and words of the story to heart and realize it really wasn't something that she wanted to talk, or even think, about.

"What are you talking about?" he asked eagerly, naïvely. She was speechless. Too kind to tell him to drop it, but too withdrawn to admit anything to him. He wasn't the first person who had asked her what had happened and he wouldn't be the last. Somehow she was going to have to get to a point where she could say something besides "let's just say I'm unlucky." She opened her mouth, hoping that something helpful would come out-

"Men!" she glanced over at the group of people surrounded by their seemingly fearless leader, "follow me!" he shouted as they dawned their hats and travel gear. "The Yaoguai awaits," he said mysteriously before leading them out of the tavern.

"Get on that wagon!" Dreamy insisted. She breathed a sigh of relief that he had left their conversation behind. "Go!" he ordered. She wished he would stop. Her defenses were breaking down, and she was considering the fact that she had information they could use, that she was already well fed, and could use some new scenery. And then there was the most appealing reason. If she went she would at least have a new history. She might even wind up with a new town to explore. And maybe there when they asked her where she had come from or how she had made her way to them she could answer "I killed the Yaoguai". In her mind even saying "I was with the group that attempted to kill the Yaoguai" would be good enough. It was a better past than the one she had now. And it was more appealing than sitting here every night. "Take a chance!" Dreamy encouraged.

What was the worst that could happen? She could die, but she was pretty sure that who she was had already died. At least this way she had the option to die a hero, just like her mother had. How strange. In trying to liberate him of his past, she'd ended up running from her own. If she couldn't be a hero to him, then she could try to be for another poor village that had no hope, at the very least she could provide the information to help the group going now, maybe save their lives as well. She could be a hero again...couldn't she?

She took a deep breath, knowing the massive decision that was ahead of her. It would take courage, but if she'd mustered it once then she could generate it again. Just because he chose to be a lonely man all the rest of his life, didn't mean that she had to resign herself to that fate yet. And, ultimately, that was what convinced her that it was the right option. She could curl up in a ball and regret every decision she'd ever made ignoring the world around her until she became a person just as afraid as he was or she could live her life the way he didn't. And maybe one day, if they ever crossed paths again, he would see who she had become and then he would regret letting her get away. But she had to take a step first before that journey could begin.

"Thank you!" she told Dreamy, quickly gathering her book and the small shoulder bag that held all she owned in this world. She felt hope suddenly budding in her chest again. It had been so long since she felt it that she almost didn't recognize the feeling. She wished she could tell Dreamy what exactly she was feeling and how grateful she was, but she didn't want to miss that wagon. It was the beginning of a new life, and she wasn't going to let it get away.

She gave him another laugh as she got up. It really was absurd, a princess off to kill the beast and save the village, but what in her life had been normal? She was nearly out the door when she heard Dreamy yell. "Wait! Belle!" she turned to see him getting out of his chair. "Wait!" He was fiddling with something in his pocket. He pulled out a small cloth pouch the color of deep purple and handed it to her. "It's fairy dust," he said as she held it in her hand. "It might come in handy." Her heart knocked rapidly against her ribs as she looked at the small gift sitting in her hand. Just when she was feeling like she could leave those memories behind her, memories that went back even farther than she'd known him, they came stampeding back into her mind, threatening to bring tears into her eyes. She knew the mines were in this town, but so far she'd been able to avoid them. She wanted nothing to do with magic, not for as long as she lived.

But she was proud for keeping herself together, for just shaking her head and handing it back to him. "Oh, no, thank you, I've seen what magic does to people." She'd seen what the prospect of magic had done to her and Anna! It was no good for anyone and certainly not for her.

Dreamy squinted his eyes at her, judging her for her odd reaction to the substance. "You've seen what dark magic does," whether he had guessed or had been speaking to some of the rumors she was sure the villagers were spreading she couldn't be sure. For her own sake she preferred to believe he had come up with it from the look on her face. "Fairies use this for good." Good magic? Like the kind the rock troll had given her? The kind she'd lost in the end, the kind she'd sacrificed a good friend for? She didn't know if she believed that she would ever be capable of using magic like that. But...she was already about to take one chance, why not take another one, and redeem her beliefs about magic in the process. If she was going to do this she had to be willing to believe in all kinds of things again, new things that she would see and experience, and the person that she could be, the one she'd once been long ago. She was willing to open herself up to that, what harm could it do? "Now go be a hero!" Dreamy stated happily. She smiled at the possibilities ahead of her, and then barely got out a "thanks" in the middle of her excited giggle as she headed out.

It wasn't too late for second chances. And amid her excitement and hopefulness, the layer of anger and sadness, there was a different kind of hope. A hope that maybe she wasn't the only one that would see this. She hoped that someday he would realize that it was never too late for second chances.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so Belle is off on another adventure! Yay Adventure!Belle! Or should I really be saying hip hip hooray for an adventure where no one dies, gets eaten, or has their heart broken...poor girl, she just can't seem to catch a break can she? Alright ya'll, are you ready to say good-bye Dreamy and hello Mulan! Then lets do this thing!
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	54. Between Here and There

It wasn't easy convincing the men to let her go along. She was a girl, after all, with little training, no skills, and frankly the dress hadn't helped her cause. In an act, she suspected, to trick her into not coming the leader had told her that they were leaving tomorrow at first light. If she wanted to go she should be there, because they wouldn't wait if she was late. With an excited smile she'd run down the street to the library that she had been working for. Although it was night time, she found the friendly man and explained the situation to him. His warm brown eyes had watered when she told him that she wouldn't be coming back, but he'd wrapped his wrinkled hands around hers and told her that she would need something far more suitable than her current attire for an adventure like this. It killed her to admit it, since this was the only thing he'd given her that she still had, but he was right, it would do her no good now. The dress would have to go.

He'd taken her upstairs to his son's room and he and his wife had frantically pieced together an acceptable grouping of clothes. The pants had come from their son when he was younger. The boots, gloves, and scarf were his wife's. The top was a little more complicated. They wanted her to be warm and protected but his wife had also insisted with a gleam in her eye that a woman, pretty as she was, still needed to feel like a woman, no matter what she was doing. So they found her an undershirt, sewed a hood onto it for cover from the rain, then a purple bodice that the woman separated from one of her own dresses with a slash of a knife, a warm jacket and belt was added and as she stared in the mirror before her, tying her hair back and out of her face, she was almost happy to see that she didn't recognize the woman staring back at her. She looked like a hero, she just wished she could feel like one.

But there, behind her, her blue dress and tan shoes sat upon the bed, looking lonely and dull without her. She felt guilty looking at them there. Getting rid of them wasn't easy, and following her gaze the librarian's wife held the fabric. "I doubt this will last on the road," she said in her frail but kind voice.

She had to take a long swallow and deep breath before saying "you keep it" as she reached behind her and removed her mother's necklace, placing it in her shoulder bag for safe keeping, at least she could keep something that was hers. But the old woman wouldn't agree to her request. She shook her head, saying she couldn't and that it wasn't right but she only smiled and said, "keep it, sell it for your trouble, you've helped me so much and I'm sure you can get a good price for it." The words felt like a knife to her gut, but she'd said them and now it was as it should be. Now she really was someone new.

The old lady only smiled sweetly again. "I'll keep it here for you. For when you come back."

She opened her mouth to argue, but no words came out and she found tears of relief and gratefulness fill her eyes and "thank you" was what followed instead. Whether or not she ever came back to this place, at least it would be safe. At least she'd know where it was.

The next morning it was obvious that the men didn't think that she would show up, and there were many that weren't happy that she had, but despite their looks and objections she climbed aboard a wagon and opened anew the book that the librarian had shoved into her hands before she left. He'd kept the translation for himself but he'd given her the original. It didn't make a difference to her, she was just grateful. Everything she-they would need to defeat the Yaoguai was in this book, he had essentially given them a road map to victory. And with it she finally felt like she was on her way to a new life.

At first it hadn't been too bad. The men looked at her with disbelief and sneers of disgust but for the most part left her alone...during the day. When the night fell, when she got a tent to herself and she saw the horrors of being the only woman among a group of men, especially drunk men. But fortunately, after a few encounters that were too close for comfort, she learned how to handle it. She camped in the woods away from the men, retired early each night, bound the tent flaps shut, snuffed out the candle, and slept with one eye open and a dagger in her hand just for extra measure.

But as time wore on, it got easier. Apparently, some of the men had missed the part about having to travel to a "far away land." Though they had once started with about thirty men, horses and wagons galore, and enough supplies for everyone soon they were down to a man riding on horseback and four of them on the back of their last wagon drawn by two horses. The few men that were left were harmless, but as the number dropped they'd gotten more comfortable with taunting and teasing her. They never hurt her or threatened her physically, but she'd heard a conversation through the fabric of her tent while they were talking by the fire last night, one that had put her on guard.

They were strained and stressed and like anyone they began to look for the cause, whether or not one existed. She was an easy target. They had decided that all the misfortune they'd encountered so far was her fault. They thought they would have moved faster, been abandoned by less of their companions, even have one more tent, if only they hadn't been cursed to have a woman with them. She'd hoped to be a hero, but instead, they'd made her out to be a villain, and she'd listened sadly from her tent one night as they hatched a plot to get rid of her. She knew that they were looking for a busy village, somewhere to leave her, lose her in the crowd, so that she wouldn't cause problems but also wouldn't leave a black mark on their conscious for abandoning her in the middle of nowhere; a place that she might die. It was fair to them, it was unimaginable for her.

Yet she refused to give up. As a result she'd been keeping her nose in the book, trying to find something, anything, that would convince them that she was useful, that she would be helpful when they arrived. Somehow this trip had become more important to her than she'd ever imagined, and the thought of being left in the country, rejected again, made her stomach turn. Until they abandoned her, she was going to work as hard as she could to prove herself. Maybe she would prove to herself that she could be this person as well.

"What's that?!" asked the man named Alistair. He was the one that had recruited them all in the first place, and he'd been the one that seemed to enjoy taunting her the most. He thought of himself as a leader, and his voice had been loudest as they'd plotted against her. As much as she knew she should just ignore him, not add another reason to get rid of her, she found the answer automatically falling from her lips. She wouldn't just roll over and be quiet and calm for them. She just couldn't be something she wasn't.

"Ah, a book!" she answered, slightly annoyed with the man. She didn't particularly like him, but she couldn't dislike him entirely either. She figured this was what it might be like to have an irritating little brother. But she had a lot of experience dealing with people like that. She knew how to fight fire with fire. "I trust you've seen one before?" she asked, looking at him with false innocence. Her words had been carefully chosen, but it was still enough of an insult that it reminded him she wasn't an easy target and he wasn't the worst thing she'd ever come across. Her point made, she turned back to the book to translate the next set of glyphs before her.

"You expect to face the fiercest creature in the land with a book?" Alistair continued to tease her.

Claude chimed in too, adding "Maybe she means to bore it to death." The others erupted in laughter.

They were wrong about that. The Yaoguai was not the fiercest creature in the land. She'd already faced that and lived to tell the tale, even if it was only a half life. She forced the thought away and told herself not to think about him. She should just keep translating, they laughed now, but it was her they'd be thanking when they knew how much they needed her and this book. They would regret ever considering getting rid of her.

"It will tell us how to find the Yaoguai!" she shouted over their laughter. It silenced them and they turned so they could hear her. She was sick of being seen as useless. It amazed her how unintelligent these men were. They could be experts in swordsmanship and hunting but it wouldn't do any good if they didn't know where the creature was in the first place. Didn't they see that?!

She turned back to the book. But instead of leaving her alone Alistair suddenly tore it from her hands. She gritted her teeth together and she looked straight ahead, trying to control her temper, to remember that yelling at them wouldn't help anything, it would only get her kicked off the wagon. She was wrong.

"These are just scribbles," Alistair pointed out, reminding her of that long ago time when she was a child and another child had asked her how she could read when there were no pictures. Her anger flared again at his ignorance. Then again, maybe it would be better if this was a task she could do by herself. At least she wouldn't have to deal with them or their behavior all day long.

She grabbed the book back from him. "It's called another language," and this time she found herself hoping he was insulted. Her temper was wearing thin but after a glimpse back she realized he was staring at her with some interest. Finally she'd gotten him to see reason. "And one that I know how to translate," she added turning back to the so called scribbles, realizing she had stumbled upon an important section and as soon as she translated it she would know exactly where to find the creature. "Huh!" she said drawing Alistair in further. She wished she didn't need them to slay the beast for her, because with this information she felt like she could go after it on her own. But it was a silly idea. She would die, surely. She'd never handled a sword and the small dagger she'd gotten from the supplies wouldn't be enough…would it?

"What?" he asked, looking over her shoulder distracting her from her courageous dreams of grandeur.

She closed the book and set it in her lap. "Nothing, just scribbles," she answered purposefully getting on his nerves and giving him a taste of his own medicine.

It appeared to have worked. "We're here to protect the land girl," he said in a chastising voice, the anger for her clear in his voice at the world "girl". She wanted to correct him, to tell him that she'd lived already more than most women her age ever would in a lifetime. But she kept the thought to herself. She was not a girl. She was a young woman capable of more than what any of the men in her life, past or present, thought. Suddenly her earlier thoughts didn't seem so ridiculous. What was a beast compared to what she'd already faced? She could do this. She could be a hero. "That book tells us where to go you shall share it with us," Alistair insisted.

She looked back at him proudly. She'd arrived at where she wanted to-convincing him that she had important information. Only suddenly she was wondering if this was where she really wanted to be after all. And there was something else. She didn't like the look on Alistair's face. It told her that she had overstepped, and she had finally over stayed her welcome. A small family farm caught her eye and she could see him glance quickly over to it as well. To him it was much more than a family farm, it was their ticket to good fortune. It wouldn't be as smooth as they'd hoped, but at least they wouldn't leave her alone. Her time was up, it was written plain as day on his face. If not now then it would be, as soon as she gave up that information. And if she refused then it would definitely be sooner rather than later, then her heroic dreams would be over before they ever really got started.

She looked at the path unfurling behind the wagon. Maybe there was a third option. They were stronger and could track better. It was silly. They would beat her there before she even figured out where she was. But, maybe if she chose her words a little more carefully… She turned the sentence she'd just translated over in her head again and again. It would be a shame if she misread one of the symbols…for them at least. But it might actually give her the time she needed to get ahead of them, to find the Yaoguai on her own and figure out a way to kill it herself. She sighed, her mind made up. "It says we'll find the Yaoguai by the lake," she offered, loud enough so that they could all hear her instructions clearly.

"The lake you say," Alistair verified with interest.

"Yes," she set the book down beside her, trying to figure out her next move, the next step to enact this plan that she had forming in her mind.

"You heard her Claude, we're going to the lake!" she heard Alistair call over his shoulder.

Suddenly she felt a boot at her back and the cart beneath her vanished as she hit ground with an unprepared thud. She watched them go on without her. She had known they were going to leave her but she hadn't expected for them not even to stop the cart! Or that they'd take her belongings with them. "Wait!" she called as they moved on. That book was her only chance, she needed it back!

As if reading her thoughts Alistair picked up the book and tossed it into the air calling "don't forget your book" in a final taunting voice.

It landed beside her and she could hear them laugh as she reached out to grab the important object. With relief she stood up again and began brushing herself off, the rest she could bear to part with, but so long as she had this book, and the dust Dreamy had given her, she wasn't without hope. Nevertheless she opened the book and found the passage that she had been examining only moments ago. Nervously she double checked the glyphs just to make sure that she had read them correctly. She smiled to herself when she saw that she had.

"Enjoy the lake!" she called after them, making a final jest of her own, before looking back at the glyphs. "The Yaoguai prefers mountain habitats to all others," she smiled looking at the picture of a dark cave etched into the paper. They'd figure it out eventually, she had only bought herself time and nothing more. She'd have to hope that there would be courage that she could pick up between here and there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Belle's a smarty alright. I'm sorry for how this chapter turned out. Sometimes they do things for dramatic effect on TV that don't make sense in real life, like the whole "if Belle didn't know she was going to be pushed off the cart then why would she lie to them"? There really is no good way to make that make sense, but I did my best with the idea that perhaps she knew they were going to leave her there with the farm family (not kidding there is actually a farm there in the story) and that's why she did it. Risky, but it also makes her look good when it works the way she wants it too so...win for Belle?!
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	55. Two Women, A Sword, and A Book

So she was on her own again. Only, it wasn't as bad as she'd once feared it might be. Fortunately the family of farmers the caravan had left her with were friendly and they were able to give her the directions that she needed. Once she had a general idea of where she was going, she was able to hike into the mountains and with the help of the book in her hand track the beast all afternoon. Now she stood outside a cave, which, if she was reading the glyphs correctly, was either a place where the Yaoguai lived now or had lived. And that wasn't all that the book had told her. It pointed out a particular weakness that the creature had, a way to destroy the beast.

 _"The Yaoguai hibernates by day and hunts by night,"_  she read aloud one more time, making sure the words were actually there and not an invention of her mind. She closed her book and looked at the cave before her. With a deep sigh she tried to think about what to do next, how to approach this. This beast wasn't like the last one that she'd fought...

She shook her head, telling herself once again that she couldn't think about him, that she wouldn't! He'd had his chance and hadn't taken it, she wasn't going to dwell on it. Here and now, she needed all her attention to be on that cave and the beast that was before her now!

"Please be asleep," she muttered looking into the dark cave. She couldn't see anything. But was it her imagination or was there a deep rhythmic breathing coming from inside? She took a few timid steps forward and pulled the dagger from the leather sheath at her side. She wished she had a sword but if the creature was asleep then she wouldn't need anything grandiose, she just needed to get the job done. Her heart hammered harder against her chest with every step as she moved closer and closer and-

Snap!

A branch broke beneath her boot. In a moment of panic she listened carefully hoping that it had only appeared louder to her because she was nervous and scared. But then a loud roar echoed from within the dark cavern ahead of her. Her heart was beating so fast that she thought it might not be beating any more at all. Now she was in trouble! She ran, to nowhere in particular her legs just getting the message to get out alive while her brain was still working on what to do next. She had to get away from here, she had to find shelter, somewhere the creature wouldn't find her. But as she glanced behind her she saw a giant dog-like animal with long talons and massive teeth bounding after her. And those weren't even its most terrifying features. For her, the mane of fire was the most startling thing of all. Even when the book had described the beast to her in perfect detail she hadn't been prepared for actually seeing it in the flesh.

It distracted her from looking forward and before she knew what had happened she tripped and landed flat on her belly. The world was suddenly too fast and too still at the same time. She heard the monster roar from somewhere close behind her and just as she was expecting teeth to dig into her skin it was was suddenly in front of her, teeth bared, flames hot against her skin, a threatened and angry roar deafening her ears. This was it, this was the end! Any moment now she'd-

Suddenly something whizzed by the creature coming from out of nowhere, it scared her almost as much as the beast did. But she never took her eyes off the Yaoguai. It took off, but instead of back in the direction it came from, it ran frightened into the woods, away from its hiding place. She fought to hold back terrified and grateful tears knowing that she was probably the luckiest person in the world. She should have been dead, but there she was alive and well. Terrified, perhaps, but still breathing, heart still pounding...and feeling like the stupidest girl on the face of the planet.

What had possessed her to make her think that she could do something like this? She had thought that if she could face Rumpelstiltskin then she wouldn't fear anything else in the world. She was wrong yet again. She let the wave of panic wash over her and then heard footsteps. Something or someone was with her in the woods approaching her. In her panic she had nearly forgotten the thing that had flown by her and distracted the beast, saving her life in the process. An arrow. She found it embedded in a tree and...someone had to have fired it! Was it him?! Her heart raced again as she wondered if he'd sensed her fear with his magic and come to save her. Or had the men in the caravan finally caught up with her? She would hate to think of their taunts now if they had to save her from her own stupid belief she could ever do this on her own. She wasn't a warrior, she was a Princess turned maid with grand visions of heroism and true love...and she never should have started this journey in the first place. She should have stayed right where she had been in that inn reading books by day and drinking at night. That would have been much safer.

She risked a glance and turned back to see her savior running over to her. To her delight she realized it was neither him nor them. She couldn't tell who it was. The warrior wore a mask over his face, clunky official looking leather armor, and a red cape concealing a sword, knife, and bow and arrow. And those were just the weapons she could see! A man like this probably had more hidden elsewhere. She stood up quickly, just because this man had saved her life didn't mean that he was a friend, and she didn't want to be defenseless against two dangers in this wood. But as she turned back to face her hero a strange sight met her eyes. The person had removed their mask...and it wasn't a man at all.

It was a girl! A woman...with beautiful olive skin and long black hair tied back so it stayed out of her way, the color and design of her clothes let on that she was one of the people native to this part of the world.

The girl politely offered her a hand to help steady her and she took it gratefully before looking down at herself and brushing her clothing free of the soil that was on them. She had to try not to stare in shock. She hadn't been prepared to meet another woman, much less one that carried a sword. But who the stranger was or her gender didn't matter. She was alive. And that was the important thing.

"How ever can I thank you?!" she questioned gratefully, the girl stared back at her looking just as surprised as she did at the person she had saved, maybe she wasn't expecting a woman either. "You saved my life!"

"And you ruined my hunt!" the woman responded, a flash of anger in her look of sympathy and bewilderment. "It took me weeks to track the Yaoguai here."

She grabbed her book, a small moment of excitement passing through her. The words caught her attention. So they had a common interest. She was hunting the Yaoguai too. As she looked the woman up and down taking in once again the weapons the official armor she was wearing, a thought crossed her mind. What did she need of men who would tease her maliciously all day long and make hasty threats and rude jokes at night? But another woman-one that knew how to use a sword-now that was something that could work to her advantage. And maybe someone who could read ancient "scribbles", as Alistair had called them, was someone who could be of benefit to this woman as well.

"I, uh...I found it in a day," she muttered brushing the earth off the book.

The woman looked her up and down her eyes looking to the sheath at her hip and resting on the book in her hands. "You had luck on your side" she concluded confidently, but deep down she wondered if the woman wasn't just fishing for information like Alistair had. Even if she was, she'd rather tell this woman her secrets than the band of ignorant boys she'd been with.

"No, not luck," she corrected looking down at the small informant in her hands, did the woman know what it was? "It was this!" The stranger looked at the book with confusion but also interest. That was exactly what she wanted. It was a hunch, but she could feel it, she was confident. Together they would make a great team, she just knew it, they were two sides of the same coin. "I could, uh, I can help you find it again," she offered boldly. They could do this! They could both be heroes. Decorated as she appeared to be she had been after the Yaoguai too, and she thought that maybe here, even with her great skills, she was still just a woman. Maybe she wanted to be more than her gender too?

But as quickly as the words were out of her mouth the woman lifted her head to look her in the eye. "You've done enough damage already," she spat back at her, the interest disappearing from her eyes. Then again maybe she would be exactly like the men on the caravan had been. She took a few steps forward, "if you really want to help," she offered, her voice full of spite and anger, "stay out of my way." And with that she walked away and ran quickly into the woods after the Yaoguai, disappearing into the fog.

She felt a deep surge of disappointment at the words. "When two people both have something the other wants a deal can always be struck!" his playful voice filled her head, whether she wanted it too or not. She'd heard him repeat it dozens of times while she was listening to him make his precious deals. By his theory this transaction should have gone smoothly. So what had she done wrong? Maybe bragging about how fast she'd been able to locate a creature it had taken the girl a week to hunt down wasn't the best way to begin?

She looked around her for a moment, her opportunity gone. She needed to leave. She was alone, defenseless against an angry Yaoguai running lose in the woods. She searched the woods around her picking up her dagger from where it had dropped to the ground in her sprint. She'd seen a town not far from here on her hike. Maybe she could rustle up some food, get some water, and try to figure out another way to kill the beast on her own. This would work out, she had to believe that it would, because if she didn't have the courage to face this beast, what did she have?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These next few chapters are going to be shorties. Sorry. Just a heads up. This was one of those rare times were I had to make up very little and frankly had next to no room to make something up in. Ergo the chapters become a bit shorter. My apologies! Somehow though...I don't know about you but I'd rather have shorter chapters than longer ones. Just a thought.
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	56. A Deal Can Always Be Struck

She'd gotten into the little village with no problems. And now that she was here the only thing she really wanted after her long and useless trek through the forest was a drink of water. She hadn't thought to take any with her when she had left that family after the caravan had abandoned her. With her throat dry and parched, she regretted that decision. As soon as she'd spotted the well she heaved a sigh and marched straight over to it as fast as she could. Eagerly she lowered the bucket and pulled back the weight of glorious, wet, cool water. It was almost in her hands-

Suddenly there was a hand on her shoulder and one at her leg and before she had time to react she had been lifted off her feet and was staring down the long tunnel of the well! She gave a shriek and tried to find a place, a notch, a ledge, any where she could put her hands so that she didn't fall down and meet a very unsatisfying death. But the well was too large and she couldn't support herself. She was at the mercy of her captor. She tried to look behind her but couldn't clearly see the face of the man holding her life in the balance. Who was doing this to her? Why would anyone want to hurt her?

"The Yaoguai wasn't at the lake," said the angry familiar voice of Alistair. Her heart pounded against her chest and from the corner of her eye she turned to see him standing by her side, or rather the side of the man holding her over the well.

Yes...they had reason to be angry at her. But not reason enough to kill her! Unfortunately she didn't think they saw it that way it right now. She wanted to be away from them, to run, but that meant she had to get both feet on the ground first, and she didn't think they would agree to release her that easily. She took a deep breath, she was beginning to feel light-headed. She hadn't felt this dizzy since that woman, Ursula, had wrapped a tentacle around her neck...

"I'm sorry, I must, I must have misread that one," she said, coming up with the first thing that popped into her head. Telling them she had led them astray on purpose was not an option, not in her current predicament. It might just be the piece of information they were looking for to toss her to her death. It have been nice to have strength, instead of a useless physical trait like beauty, or even the ability to translate different languages. She'd trade both of those for strength in a heartbeat right now.

"Mmm," Alistair leaned down next to her casually, like they were having a polite conversation at a tavern instead of one of them dangling to death as the blood rushed to her head. "Do you want to know what I think happened? I think you sent us in the wrong direction on purpose." She glanced over at him, his face lined with curious anger. She hadn't thought that he'd be able to put two and two together. Maybe she couldn't read people as well as she thought she could. She didn't know what to say, what to offer, or beg for to get them to release her. But she didn't have to.

Just as she was beginning to think that she was going to pass out from the headache building in her skull, she caught a glimpse of a rope wrapping itself around Alistair's neck and he crashed to the ground, out of sight. Behind him she could just make out the same mysterious woman that she had met in the forest; the one who had saved her earlier. Had she followed her here? But she had no time to ask questions, the man who had been holding her, Claude as it turned out, put her down and she had to grab the well to keep from toppling over as the world righted itself again and the woman advanced on the men.

"Let her go," the woman demanded, and although she couldn't see anymore than her eyes through her helmet, it sounded like she had her teeth clenched.

"This isn't your fight soldier!" Alistair called. Her blurring vision was starting to clear and she could see him there, still on his hands and knees trying to recover from whatever it was she'd thrown at him. She knew that she had more weapons than what she had seen.

But the woman didn't stop her threatening advance. Suddenly Claude pulled out his own sharp dagger. The woman looked at it with interest but not with fear. He moved to attack her, once, twice, several times, but each and every time she blocked his offenses without even reaching for her own sword. She made Claude look like a child. Finally she wrestled him to the ground with enough force to make her helmet fly off her head. "Wait!" Claude exclaimed, looking at her shocked. "You're a-" but she punched him in the face with so much force his skull made a sound as it bounced off the stone beneath him.

"Yeah, I know!" she replied angrily as the man clutched his head painfully. She stood and turned drawing her own sword, daring someone to attack her, to defend the men. Not surprisingly, no one did. If she'd done that much with her bare hands no one wanted to see what she could do with a blade. "Go!" she ordered, the pair of foolish men quickly got to their feet and left without another word.

When they were well on their way she felt another wave of gratitude wash over her. The woman didn't have to help her, didn't have to save her, and yet she had. Twice in the same day! And she was amazing, every bit the warrior that she looked...every bit the hero that she wished she could be. It was a shame that the woman didn't want her help. They really would have made an excellent team against the Yaoguai.

"I um...didn't expect to see you again," she commented as the woman sheathed the unused sword. She glanced over once again to the men who were looking smaller and smaller with every step they took. She was alive and they were gone, what more could she ask for? She turned back to the woman. "Thank you," she said for the second time that day. And for a moment she wondered if she would forever be thanking people for saving her life, instead of doing it for others, or herself.

The woman stared off into the distance, watching the shrinking forms of the men like she was making sure they were really leaving as she had ordered. "I had to put up with brutes like them when I served in the emperors army...fools who thnk we have no business holding a sword," she said with a certain sense of pride, correcting her posture with a shoulder roll and a proud smile. She deserved it. It couldn't have been easy for a woman to serve in the army, it was impossible in fact back home for women to do it. She couldn't help but admire this woman, her heroism, her bravery, she knew what she wanted and she went after it. Unlike her. She knew what she wanted. She just had no idea how to get it when she was met by obstacle after obstacle. Not to mention the fact that what she wanted most in the world didn't want her back. "I only wish there was someone there to stand up for me," she admitted regretfully. She was about to ask what had happened to her, why she'd needed people to come to her aid in the first place when she was clearly more than capable of taking care of herself...but the woman was suddenly distracted by something on her leg. She gave a strange sigh and reached into her boot. Her gloved hand came away wet.

Blood!

"You're, uh, you're bleeding," she was surprised, she didn't think Claude had been able to lay a hand on her, much less a blade! Had she missed it? Or perhaps it was an old injury? Something that had opened up when she'd moved the wrong way? She felt a stab of guilt as she looked at the sticky substance. No matter how she had gotten it, it was the result of her successful attempts to protect her. The injury was her fault.

But the woman didn't seem to take much notice. "I'll survive," she said, straightening and paying the injury no mind. She turned her attention skyward and wiped her hand against her belt. "The sun should be setting soon," she commented, "we need to move out," she said in an official tone, and turned quickly on her heel and to gather up her helmet.

"What, what do you mean 'we'?" she asked, trying not to get her hopes up. Had she really said what she thought that she'd said? Or was her mind still recovering from the rush of blood to the head. Was she taking her up on her offer then? Did she really want them to work together to kill the Yaoguai? Or was she referring to someone else.

The woman turned back to her. "You tracked the Yaoguai in a matter of hours," she explained, "it took me weeks! You track the beast and I'll kill it."

Hope filled up her frayed nerves. Was this really happening? Was she really getting her wish? What had caused this sudden change of mind in her? Hadn't she saved her twice in one day, didn't she consider her useless? "When two people both have something the other wants a deal can always be struck," she pushed the thoughts and his voice from her head, why was she over thinking this! The woman had turned her down once, it was best to take her up on the offer before it passed by again.

"I'd be honored to help you," she said trying to straighten her shoulders and look more like a strong and capable woman instead of the feeble broken-hearted one she felt like nowadays. Maybe this would bring some sense of meaning back into her life.

She took hold of the book that had been resting on the well and together the two women filled skins of water and an old man at a cart offered them some provisions free of charge, from the smile that passed between the two of them she wondered if they knew each other. If this was her village it would explain the man, her protective instinct for everyone, and why no one dared to help the men or attack her.

And then, while her mind was still trying to put together everything that had happened, they were off, heading back into the forest she'd come from. "I'm Belle, by the way," she said.

"Mulan," she answered in a friendly tone, but still trying to keep the pace up despite her leg injury. "So, where do we go from here?" she asked, raising her eyebrows expectantly. She liked this woman, she had a goal and she was focused on it. So much so that there was no room for anything outside of catching the Yaoguai, not even time for proper introductions. She liked that. With purpose, she opened the book in her hand with a smile, then put her nose back into it and began figuring out their next move.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Belle is the brains and Mulan is the brawn...as it so often is for Belle. Problem is that it'll be a while I think before she comes to terms with that. Certainly it won't happen in Moments Seen and Unseen, though it wasn't exactly like she had much time to learn that in season 2 either way. Maybe season 3. For now she has been shoe-hold into being the brains and I think it's just fine. It works for her and it works for others. Some day she will come to accept that I am sure she will.
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	57. History Can Repeat Itself

"It's just ahead," she said leading Mulan down a hill, hoping she wouldn't trip over another rock or stick in the dark night. It had taken them longer to get here than expected, but now that they were here, now that they'd managed to track the beast again she didn't want anything to hinder them anymore. Who knew what damage the creature would do with another night of freedom? And, to be honest, she was looking forward to returning to the small village, but not because they would be heroes, that recognition would come later, for now all she wanted from the town was a hardy meal and a nice soft bed to sleep in. At the moment everything else in the world suddenly paled in comparison.

"That book served you well," Mulan commented as they came upon the ridge. They stared down and a terrible sight met their eyes. They were too late. Through a clearing in the trees they could see down to a field below. The Yaoguai had set fire to it. It was awake, and bound to cause terror in the neighboring village and trouble for anyone stupid enough to challenge the beast when it was fully rested. As much as they might want to it just wouldn't be safe to go after it now.

Suddenly Mulan heaved an irritated sigh and she turned just in time to see her reach down into her boot. She held her foot at an odd angle, like putting her full weight on it was painful. She'd been trying to hide it since they started but she had noticed her slowing as she had taken the lead instead and could feel the trembling of her leg as she rested her hand on her knee trying to get a glimpse of the injury. "Mulan, your leg's getting worse," she insisted. She wished she knew how to help, but the only thing she knew about injuries was that they needed plenty of rest. But no matter how many times she'd tried to get her to take a break, the soldier wouldn't rest. She couldn't, it seemed. Instead she only stood tall again and looked down at the fire in the field with a determined look on her face.

"I have to protect my village," she said with a confident nod as the helmet clattered to the ground. Mulan took a few steps down the hill, a faithful warrior marching into battle. But then she fell. She reached out and caught her before she could hit the ground, but she knew that the leg wouldn't allow her to do this. Minds were strong and confident; bodies, however, could fail at the most inconvenient times.

"You can't even walk," she told her, hoping the stubborn woman would see reason. It wasn't safe to go after the beast while it was awake, going after it while it was awake  _and_  she was injured was so insane it was a suicide mission. The village needed her to save them, but if she was killed because she had been too weak to attack the monster properly then it was of no help to anybody. "How are you going to kill the Yaoguai?"

After a few moments of silence Mulan looked up "I'm not," she muttered, disappointment in her voice. She felt sorry for her, she did, but this wasn't the end. They would still kill the Yaoguai, they would just have to postpone it for a few days. They could wait until her leg was better, then track it down one day at first light and slay it as the creature slept. It was a good plan. She was ready to turn around, try to find somewhere safe to spend the night before going back to the village tomorrow to tend to Mulan's wound. But the girl only turned and looked at her. "You are!" she declared, like it was obvious, but her stomach gave a nervous fearful flop. Was she suggesting what she thought she was?

"Me?" She was crazy. That was the only explanation for it. Or Claude had hit her head too and not just injured her leg! She was the brain of this team not the brawn. She was no soldier, she didn't even want to try to kill the Yaoguai during the night. She'd been too scared. All she had managed was to try and sneak up on it in its sleep! And failed! "I'm, I'm..." she stuttered trying to find her words as Mulan gained her footing and stood up to full height. "I'm not a soldier," she pointed out to her. But Mulan shook her head at her protests.

"You have good instincts. You tracked that beast faster than I ever could."

"Tracking it and killing it are not the same thing," she pointed out to her. They were two very distinct, very different, things. One she could do. The other...she glanced down at the fire in the field. No, she really couldn't do what she was suggesting.

Mulan swallowed and looked down at her from her spot on the hill "There was once a time when people didn't think that I had what it took, but I proved them wrong," she explained as seriously as if she was talking about death. Then again maybe she was…hers.

But then, there was an interesting story there. How did a woman become part of the emperor's army? Certainly that hadn't been something that was just handed to her. And she had mentioned something about the men giving her hard time when she served. And yet she must have succeeded. And then some. It was her out here after all, protecting her village, guarding her people. Where were all those so called brutes now?

"How?" she asked eagerly, wondering how she had managed to convince them otherwise, but also how she had managed to find a place that was perfect for her. She was born to be a soldier, she could just tell. It was something that gave Mulan purpose in life. Right now, she would try anything to have a purpose again, but she couldn't feel that purpose if she was dead? Was there another way that she hadn't considered? Was there a way to convince the world that she was capable of doing what they didn't think she was? Whether it was killing a Yaoguai, or convincing a man that she had the ability to love him, or even just making sure her mothers sacrifice meant more than her life, she wanted to show people that she had what it took.

"By showing them that I had the warrior spirit," she answered. "Once I found something worth fighting for, I fought for it with everything that I had. I never gave up." She didn't know what it was that had happened in this girl's past, but she wished she had her bravery. She had found something wonderful that few people in the entire world would ever be lucky enough to possess. And instead of fighting for it, she'd run. Now she was trying to fill the emptiness that choice had created by fighting for something she wasn't entirely sure she was willing to give her life up for at the end of the day. Her search for a purpose had backfired. She couldn't rewrite who she was on a whim. She wasn't a soldier. She wasn't a warrior, or a princess, or a barmaid. At the end of the day she was still just a caretaker. Whether he liked it or not, she was still his true love.

"Belle," Mulan whispered, carrying her thoughts away from the castle her heart still seemed to reside in. "The fate of my village depends on you," she whispered, reminding her that if she let the Yaoguai go until morning came and it rested again, or until Mulan was healthy enough to defeat it, then lives would be at risk.

Scared as she was, as lacking in bravery that she was, she couldn't let that happen. She'd saved her village once, which was all that Mulan wanted to do. She could relate to that, in fact thinking of it that way somehow made it easier. Saving villages was something she was good at, it might not be her purpose in life, but she'd done it once, maybe she would get lucky and do it again. Seeing her defenses fall, Mulan reached to her belt and held the sword out for her. "Don't be afraid," Mulan told her, and she found her arm reaching out automatically to take the sword, the first one she'd held since her time at the castle.

"I'm not," she answered. And she was shocked to find that it was the truth. She wasn't afraid of giving up her life to save the village. She'd already done that once, and that time the beast had threatened to kill everything that she was and everything that she held dear. She hadn't survived that time. So what if she didn't survive this time? At least she would go down fighting. At least she would make a sacrifice that would be remembered.

She handed her book over to her, and before her courage ebbed Mulan pointed out a place by the ridge and told her to meet her there after it was done, she would light a fire for her to find it. She nodded and with a final "Go, now! Hurry, before it's too late," she marched off down the hill, preparing once again to face a beast. It couldn't be worse than the last time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Go Belle! Kill that beast! Belle, Belle, she's our girl if she can't do it...well...when she can't do it the beast turns into a man so...downside?
> 
> Thank you to Heart_of_a_oncer for your awesome comments on the last chapter. Interesting, I never saw that picture, the idea for the thought was my own though now I really want to see this picture you speak of! Imagine that...just when I thought I'd seen them all! Peace and Happy Reading!


	58. Becoming a Different Person

She wasn't sure how she had gotten here: watching the Yaoguai breathe fire into the field around her. It hadn't noticed her there yet, but it was only a matter of time before it spotted her and she'd be staring the deadly creature down yet again. The last time this had happened it wouldn't have ended well if it wasn't for Mulan and yet here she was on her own, no one to save her but herself. She bounced anxiously on her toes, trying to distract herself, trying not to think about the reasons why she shouldn't be here and focus on the reasons she should be. Squaring her shoulders she looked at the beast before her.

If this was going to happen, she may as well get it over with. If she survived she'd be a hero again, and she wondered what Rumpelstiltskin would think when he found out what she'd done. Would he be angry she'd done something so risky? Happy that she'd done what she'd always dreamed of? Or maybe he just would refuse to hear the news and not care? And then there was the polar opposite: what if she died? Well then she'd never feel the pain of a broken heart again, but how would he feel when he found out. Probably he would be thankful, relieved even. Sometimes she couldn't believe he'd released her knowing the little about him that she did. She was a potential threat he'd let loose into the world. But she doubted if he knew that anything he'd told her she would take to the grave. His secrets, his actions...all would die with her. And knowing him, he'd think that was a good thing.

She took a deep breath again, clearing her head. She couldn't let anything distract her, not even thoughts of him. She needed to stay focused on the task at hand. It was now or never. "Here! Over here!" she called waving her arms over her head. The beast looked over at her, targeting her, locking in on her. Well she had its attention at least, now she just had to survive the next few minutes.

She ran.

She knew that she was supposed to kill it but instead she ran as fast as she could, darting toward Mulan's town. She could hear the Yaoguai pounding behind her the entire way. She focused on her breathing, on the beating of her heart, anything but the terror rising in her belly. She ran down the alley and into the town square. It was empty, completely devoid of all the people and the life that it had been filled with earlier. They were smart. They had probably locked themselves away in their homes once they had seen how close the creature actually was to their village and were hiding. It was a good thing, but a shame because she felt like she could really use the help and a place to hide herself.

She ran across the square and stopped at a tower of pipes, used for water, blocking her way. What was her plan? Why had she done this? Why had she ever thought she could?! She looked behind her, the Yaoguai rounded the corner, the fiery mane lighting the dark alley she had just run down. Now it starred her down, looking at her like she would be only too easy to kill. But she wasn't going to go down without a fight and she pulled the heavy sword from her belt. It was a useless action, she couldn't think of what to do with a sword, she'd never been trained to use one before. And she needed something more than an empty gesture of defiance if she wanted to survive. There had to be something, anything, she'd read that book cover to cover something in there had to be helpful to her now! Mulan was counting on her and -

The Yaoguai stalked slowly toward her, his fiery red eyes focused on her-

That was it. Fire!

The water behind her!

She felt a tug start on her mouth and realized maybe she stood a chance at surviving after all. The creature lunged to pounce on her and in the blink of an eye she spun around and hit the pipe as hard as she could with the blade.

Water poured out and hit the beast full force. With a sizzle and hiss the creatures mane went out in a puff of smoke and it lay on the ground before her, weak, injured, an easy target. It was over. She'd done it! She should be able to kill it easily now! A sword to the heart and it would be done. But then...

She watched it struggle. The blaze in its eyes was extinguished and replaced with fear. Something stirred in her chest and she couldn't help but feel sorry for the animal. It was causing terror, true, but wasn't that in it's nature? It was a beast it didn't know anything beyond hunting! Did it?

The creature gave a groan and suddenly something caught her attention. As she watched the creature, it did something...unnatural for an injured animal. Or any animal for that matter! It was swiping its claw across the stones, but there was a pattern to its motions. The claw was leaving black marks in its place, symbols. And they weren't random or accidental. They were clear and full of meaning. "You're...you're writing something!" she observed with astounded confusion. No this was definitely not normal animal behavior, and she couldn't remember anything in the book telling her that the Yaoguai could read or write. So, how had it learned to do this? And what exactly was it writing anyway? She cocked her head to the side, trying to get the proper angle. " _Tsu ea_ ," she muttered coming up with the word that matched the characters. "Save me," she translated.

The beast looked at her, like it understood what she had said. The look begged her for something. Mercy? Favor? kindness...yes, that was it. "You need help," she sheathed her sword; she didn't need it. But she did need something else. She didn't think that she could trust Rumpelstiltskin to fix this for her, even if she could figure out a way to get the beast safely back to his castle. And anyway she didn't trust his magic. Dark magic had let her down more than its fair share. But good magic, light magic, like the kind Dreamy had given her, like the kind the Rock Trolls had used to extract her memory, the magic she carried with her now, despite her previous encounter with it, that might be exactly what was needed.

She pulled the pouch from her belt, thankful that she had thought to keep it with her instead of the bag she'd left with the caravan. Pulling on the fabric she opened it up, peering at the glittery substance inside. "Let's, uh, let's give this a try, shall we?" She didn't know how much to use, how much it would take to help, although with as big as the creature was she figured that more was better than less. Hoping her plan wouldn't backfire and reignite the fiery mane so the beast would kill her, she upended the bag and poured the glowing purple over the Yaoguai's body. She lost sight of him as he was enveloped in thick purple smoke she'd seen dozens of times from Rumple's magic and she stood back, prepared to run if she had to, but when the smoke cleared, she saw not the Yaoguai on the ground.

It was a man! A man drenched from the water she'd poured over him. He coughed and sputtered as he pushed himself back and stared at his hands like he couldn't believe he was human. He wasn't the only one. He was a man! The Yaoguai had been a person all along! No wonder he needed help!

"The curse," he looked up at her, thankfulness and relief written all over his face, "you broke it".

She had? Really? It took a moment, but finally everything seemed to fall into place and the words sunk into her. She'd broken a beast's curse?! She had done it! She'd saved another village and turned a beast into a man again. And she didn't have to give up herself to do it either! The words were ones that she wanted to hear so badly. But then...why didn't they make her feel whole again?

She shook her head slightly, there was a man before her who needed help, not her own disappointed reflections on an empty life. She reached down and helped the man to his feet, a million questions racing through her mind. "Someone, someone did this to you?" she asked nervously, hoping that his name wouldn't echo from the man's mouth. She didn't know if she could handle that right now, but even she had to admit, something like this screamed Rumpelstiltskin.

The man nodded as he stood straight and tall again. "Maleficent," he breathed, a name she, unfortunately, remembered all too well. "An evil sorceress in my kingdom, determined to do everything in her power to keep me away from Aurora, my true love," he explained with a wistful, but confident, sigh. Terrifying as she knew Malificent was, she felt herself calm at just the tone of his voice, the sound of his devotion. It must be nice to be so sure about true love. To declare it that openly! "So she exiled me to this land and turned me into a monster," he continued. "I tried to warn the villagers, but no one understood what I really was," he gave a little laugh and looked her up and down. "Except you!"

Except her! She smiled at him, there would be a happy ending to his story after all. She had done that, all because she hadn't given in, because she'd fought for something others would have called her crazy for. And it had been something worth fighting for after all. Just not the right thing for her.

"Well, you're not the first beast I've faced," she muttered, but instead of chasing his image from her mind she allowed it to stay. She allowed it to fill her up and remind her of that feeling she'd had when she'd been with him and everything had been good between them. Now that was a feeling worth fighting for.

"I am forever, in your debt, please," he continued, nursing an injury on his chest, "tell me how I might repay you."

Rumple's face fled from her mind and the thought of Mulan also wounded and alone in the woods brought her back to reality. "My friend's hurt," she blurted out, "she needs a doctor," she watched him hold his side painfully and picked up on the cue with ease, "as do you. Help me bring her back to the village?" she requested.

"It will be my honor," he responded formally. "Please, allow me to introduce myself. I am Prince Phillip," he said managing a small bow of respect to her. She should have figured, all that was missing to his story was for him to have been a Prince. In her days at the castle she had heard of Prince Phillip and his family but never had she actually met them. They lived to far away and their kingdoms didn't often have reason to communicate with each other.

"Belle," she responded fighting the old habit to introduce herself as "princess" and give the polite curtsy she'd been brought up to give her whole life around royalty.

She didn't waste time, she led him out of the village and back down the alley as fast as she could move with him. He didn't seem to recognize her name, or her true identity. Why would he? She wasn't that person anymore, the one he'd seen when he first arrived at her father's palace. She was a different person, a different breed. Princesses didn't fight monsters and break curses. They didn't read books and sit in on war council meetings with interest. And they definitely didn't dream about going back into the clutches of danger to have their hearts broken all over again.

Yes, she was different now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Almost to a happy ending...or you know...the next chapter because we all know that it won't really end "happily" persay. But I think the recognition here, the idea in her head that she isn't who she was before is sinking in and I think what's changing is that she is finding she isn't. When she went with Rumple she became a caretaker. She loved that job, she enjoyed it, she embraced that life. Now she's just done the heroic thing and she doesn't feel like she had changed. She still feels like she's a caretaker and what's more she doesn't just feel like any caretaker she feels like his caretaker. She's not who she was and in this case it's a good thing.
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	59. A Mind Made Up

She trekked up the mountain with Phillip to the place where Mulan had told her that they would meet. She didn't know much about medicine. She must have read dozens of books on the topic when she'd tried to help Samuel but she'd been looking for a specific kind of ailment then. Not one of the books she'd read could help her with the physical injuries Phillip or Mulan had. He didn't appear to be badly injured, but it was enough that she could see him wince on occasion when he turned the wrong way or the hill got too steep. They were nearly there when she saw him do it out of the corner of her eye yet again. Being in the presence of someone who needed help but being unable to provide it made her nervous. First thing she was going to do when she got back was ransack her library for a book on general medicine or health so that this would never-

She stopped dead in her tracks.

When she got back?

The thought chased her breath out of her lungs. When had she decided that she was going back? She couldn't be sure. She was certain that when she had left Mulan she was determined not to go back to that castle ever again. If he didn't want her then it was his loss. But...it wasn't just his loss, not really, it was hers as well. That ache that she felt, the sorrow, the indifference to everything around her, it came from not being with him. She could try to cover the feelings up, to swallow them down and pretend that she didn't notice them, but they would always be there. By casting her out he'd sentenced her to a lifetime of pain and misery. She had discovered a freedom with him that she'd never known before, she had discovered a part of herself she'd never known before, and this adventure paled in comparison to the person she was with him. Was she really going to let him make a decision that affected her life this much?! That made her this miserable? That made them both this miserable? He had to be suffering from it too. Whether he liked it or not she was his true love, and that meant he was feeling the same things that she was. He might be better at hiding them, but no doubt he was feeling them too. Could she really allow them both to suffer like this?

No! She wouldn't stand for it. Not anymore. She didn't know when she'd decided, but it didn't matter. She was going back, she was going home. She'd broken him down once before, he wouldn't hurt her, he wasn't capable of it, so she would stay whether he was happy about it or not and maybe one day he'd find that she really was more important than his power. Maybe one day he'd see that she really could love him despite his past and present.

"Belle," suddenly she felt Phillips hand gently at her back. "Are you alright?" he asked, looking concerned.

Alright? She was wonderful, the best that she'd been for weeks! That empty place that she'd had since she had left was suddenly filling up. Yes, she'd freed a beast. Yes, she'd become a hero. But none of that mattered. It wouldn't matter unless it was her beast, unless someday she was his hero. If she could have she would have left that very moment, let her heart lead her back to him. But she couldn't, she had to finish this first, on her own terms. She was so close to the end! She would be on her way soon enough.

"Fine," she responded with a smile to Phillips inquiry. She took a deep whiff through her nose and smelled ash. For a moment she stared at Phillip, wondering if the magic hadn't lasted, if it was possible for him to turn back into the Yaoguai, then she remembered that Mulan had said something about building a fire to help her find her way. She picked up the pace again, she really was very close. "My, my friends over that ridge," she huffed pointing it out to him. As they rounded a group of trees she could see the light up ahead and Mulan sitting on a fallen log by it, looking at her book on the Yaoguai. "There she is," she muttered.

At her voice Mulan shut the book and managed to stand and walk over to the pair of them. She still limped but it appeared that the long rest had helped her. A wide smile spread over her face. "Belle," she said reaching out for her shoulders in a friendly happy gesture. "You're alive!" she said, and for a moment her heart threatened to drop. Had she sent her to kill the Yaoguai really thinking that she wouldn't come back alive?! She should have felt insulted, angry even, but instead she let the comment pass. It was no matter. She was alive, and nothing, not even a dark thought like that could bring her down from this high that she was feeling.

"I, uh, I did it," she said triumphantly "I defeated the Yaoguai," she looked across to Phillip there beside her, "with a little help." She didn't want to think of what would become of him if she hadn't recognized his writing, if he hadn't been smart enough to keep leaving the messages, believing that someone would figure it out eventually. There would be a woman out there always wondering, forever suffering, because he never came home. It would have been her fault and she wouldn't be able to live with herself knowing that she was the cause of a separation between two people truly in love. She was all too familiar with the feeling.

"Who are you?" Mulan asked the stranger, looking him up and down, confusion in her face over the sudden strange appearance of the young man.

"I was the Yaoguai," he informed her, with a hint of humorous mystery in his voice.

Mulan looked back to her, seeking answers of some kind. Of course she wanted answers, hadn't she wanted them too?! But the excited flutter in her belly didn't want to explain it all, he could do that, she had somewhere to be, and she didn't want to waste anymore time. She wanted nothing more than curl up in her chair by the fire with a good book and the squeak of a spinning wheel in the distance.

"He was cursed," she explained, giving the most basic explanation she could, "so I helped him, now he's going to help you," she continued, knowing her voice sounded rushed. That was okay, she was in a rush.

But Mulan looked at her confused again. "Wait, you're not coming?" she asked, sounding genuinely upset at the prospect. Imagine, after all this time she'd finally managed to make another friend! And this one...she hadn't let this one down at all! It would never make up for how she'd failed Anna, nothing ever would, but it felt good to know that she could still make friends without costing them their lives or having them betray her. Friends were good and some day she might be able to seek the woman out again, she knew where to look now, but there was someone else that needed her attention far more at the moment. A different type of friend.

"I have another beast to face," she explained. It wasn't going to be pretty, but it was the right thing to do, she knew that now. She exchanged her sword for the book, trading her brawn for her brains again, the life of a hero for the life of a caretaker. It was a fair trade in her mind. Besides, strength, physical strength wasn't going to help her where she was going, but her mind would. He'd loved her for who she was on the inside once before she just needed to remind him of that. Excitement raced through her as she looked up at the woman, feeling like her old self again; doing the brave thing and hoping that bravery would follow. Maybe she'd even stop back at the library she'd worked at and retrieve her blue dress again. "Good-bye," she said finally to her friend.

"Good-bye, Belle," Mulan echoed. And with a final nod at Phillip she headed back up the road, back to where she came from.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will Belle and Mulan ever meet again? I don't know. Maybe, some day perhaps. Do I want them too? Kinda. Kinda not. I don't know, sometimes I think that too much of a good thing can be a bad thing and this little friendship was perfect for this situation but I don't know what it would look like beyond this adventure. I don't know what it would look like if they were in Storybrooke for example, if they'd have anything in common or to talk about. It would be interesting, but part of me really does just want to leave this relationship where it is here and let Belle make new friends. Ah well...I suppose we can hope to see it someday. Certainly won't do any harm.
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	60. A Love Worth Fighting For

Now there was no other option for her. The fairy dust was gone, Philip was safely with Mulan, the town was saved and a thought that had been growing in her mind since she'd heard the Prince's story had been spoken. She did have another beast to face, and staying here any longer than she had wasn't going to accomplish that goal.

Book secure in her hand, she trekked up the steep soft hill, each step making her more and more determined. She'd made a mistake. Very few people in life ever found their true loves. In fact Philip had been the first that she could ever remember meeting, everyone else...well, they wandered around missing the other half themselves, trying to find things that could fill up the space in their hearts. She knew that fate well enough, she had been doing it since she left that castle. She'd tried odd jobs, the bitter taste of the alcohol, and now the adventure and promise of heroism she'd always wanted to have. It would never be a perfect fit.

She could try harder of course. Find a nice young man and settle down, have a few children, be like everyone else who had never found their true love. She might be happy one day but she'd never be whole. And it would be unfair to him and to herself too. If she knew where her true love was, then she couldn't let anything stand in the way of being with him. And that included him.

She'd made a mistake. It hadn't been as easy as she'd thought it would be. Curses never were. But whatever was inside of him that was preventing him from giving himself over completely to her, well she'd gotten past that once before and she could do it again, she knew she could. He was the only thing that would ever let her feel like a real person again. A whole person. Odd jobs wouldn't keep her mind occupied, alcohol would lose its flavor, and one act of heroism didn't erase the mission that she had given up. She didn't want to be a hero in any other way if she couldn't be his.

And now she was ready to fight.

She could do this. She was capable of being a hero and fighting to the bitter end. The look on his face as she'd talked to him last, the pain and anguish, it all told her that he wasn't a lost cause. He did love her! She just had to show him that he did. And she had to show him that she was capable of loving him through every bit of rage, turmoil, and complication that he would throw at her. He had doubted that she could love him, and she had left. It only served to further his beliefs. It was a tragic mistake, made in the heat of the moment, but she couldn't live with the regret any more. Maybe he couldn't either. And now she would go back. She would stay whether he liked it or not. She would plant herself on the castle doorstep until he let her in if that's what it took.

At last she managed to climb to the top of the hill, but instead of looking at the battle that lay ahead of her she chose to look back at the city she had just left. It was safe because of her, because she'd been brave enough to be a hero, to fight for something she wasn't sure about. Imagine what she could do when she was sure! "I'm coming back Rumple!" she declared boldly to the night air. It was a mistake that she was going to rectify. And she wasn't going to waste another moment.

She smiled as she began the first steps forward on her journey to-

"Isn't that sweet," a voice suddenly answered her in the darkness. She looked up. It felt like the blood had completely drained from her face as her smile vanished. It was the woman she'd met on the road that day. If he was right, which he always was, this wasn't just a woman. It was the Queen. The Evil Queen. "Still fighting for true love, even to the bitter end." It wasn't an encouraging voice, she was mocking her.

She felt a wave of anger rise up in her chest. This was all her fault. If she hadn't had that discussion with her, maybe she would have come to the conclusion on her own and everything would be alright. She was the last person on earth that she wanted to see. She hoped it wasn't a bad omen, but her one experience with her, and the fact that her blood felt like ice running through her veins, told her that her fears were probably well founded. Her impressions were right then and they were right now. "How did you find me?" she asked suspiciously.

"You really should be nicer to your traveling companions," she answered with the same falsely sweet smile she'd given her that day on the road. "Right Claude?" she asked looking over at a pair of men in her caravan. Claude and Alistair! The men that she had set in the wrong direction!

She was trying not to panic but her heart was racing. This couldn't be happening, not now! She felt like she should run, dive back down the hill to find Philip and Mulan, but she doubted that she'd make it in time. The Queen wasn't alone, and she as well as a few other guards were on horseback. She wouldn't make it far. Should she scream? No, that wouldn't work either. Mulan was injured and required help. They might hear her but by the time the pair of them made it up the hill she could be hurt, or dead, or worse. She saw the empty cart with bars on it being drawn by two horses. It was a cart made for prisoners. And she was pretty sure she knew what was meant to be put into it.

Ideas. She needed more ideas, more options.

"Take her to the tower," the woman ordered, and suddenly once of the guards stepped forward and seized her.

"What? No!" she cried. "What are, what are you doing?!" she asked as they began to drag her over to the cage on wheels. She tried to think of what to do, where to go, who to find. Every possibility came up short. Except one: negotiation. "I, I can save him!" she yelled at the woman. She was here for a reason. She had been on that road for a reason. Rumpelstiltskin had reacted to her kiss against her for a reason! She could only assume that she wanted his power. Or that she wanted him to be powerless. Whatever her motivations were the Queen had once hoped that she could break the curse. Maybe she could appeal to her on that and then warn Rumpelstiltskin. If there was anything she had learned from her time with him it was that deals could always be made. "Let me go to him," she cried struggling against the guard. "I, I can break his curse! I can-"

"You already tried and failed," the Queen insisted with a disappointed edge to her voice. "That monsters beyond saving." Even in the clutches of evil her mind still rebelled at her words at the name she'd called him. He wasn't a monster and he wasn't beyond hope! She could save him! She could! "I'm saving you a lifetime of pain and misery," she added like she should feel grateful for being shoved unceremoniously into a prison cell. As the door slammed and locked behind her she stared at the evil witch riding the horse before her. Whatever she was planning, whatever reason she wanted her, it wasn't good. But this wasn't the end. She was determined to fix this. And nothing was going to stand in her way, not even being held captive. She would figure it out. She had to.

"You can't keep us apart forever!" she stated, clutching the bars. He loved her, he would come for her. For selfish reasons or for honorable ones he would show up and rescue her and then she could right the wrong. "I'll fight for him!" she called as she watched the woman nonchalantly turn the horse and gallop away. "I'll never stop fighting for him!" she called as the sound of the hoof beats faded and the cart jerked forward in the wrong direction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No! Regina! It's nice to see another character in MK&U that we know but really Regina?! Why couldn't it be Snow, or Aurora, or someone that would help her back to Rumple instead of usher her away. Sigh...ah well. Moments Seen and Unseen is coming and I suppose then that there really isn't long to wait until it's over. What's done is done and there is no use crying over spilled milk...but really Regina? Really?!
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	61. Not a Friend

She was tired of being a prisoner. No matter how good she had it while she was actually being held captive, it never seemed to end well for her, but this time...this time she knew it wouldn't end well. Instead of being kicked out of the castle, this tower, her confinement would end in death. That thought was all that she kept coming back too. Day after day. Week after week, month after month, year after year! When? How? Why? Then again it wasn't like she had anything else to do, maybe that was how the Queen wanted her, board and constantly in a state of unknowing. She'd learned nothing in her time here. At least nothing of use, nothing that would help her out of this situation. The guards spoke, not to her, but to each other. Still, listen all she could it was gibberish to her. Something about a curse the Evil Queen was planning, their fears, their concerns. Nothing that assisted her in this mess. She'd stopped listening long ago.

There was a time that she had a life, there was a time she had purpose every morning she woke up. She could barely remember that time. Now her day consisted of getting food, sleeping, writing that mark on the wall, and maybe, if she was feeling adventurous, she'd walk around the circular tower. Just for the fun of it. It was an all time low as the cycle repeated itself, over and over, never ending: sit on a cot in the middle of an empty round room, think about her death, stare at the other end of the room, think about her death, count the marks that she made on the wall, think about her death…and so it went on and on.

She sighed and stared up at the ceiling, just for something different to look at. Sometimes she wished that the Evil Queen would just kill her and get it over with. Whatever she wanted, whatever she was planning, she certainly wouldn't help her do it. She didn't know where Rumpelstiltskin was, or what he was doing while she was being imprisoned simply for loving him, but she was just as loyal today as the moment the Evil Queen had taken her captive. She would never say anything against Rumpelstiltskin, no matter what the Queen offered her. Nothing would ever, ever, make her betray his confidence. She'd worked hard to get it and now...now...now she sat in a dark tower, waiting for him to rescue her, hoping that he would.

She knew that he loved her, years later, even if he didn't want to say the words, she still knew he loved her! She had expected him to at least show up and make her a deal for her freedom, or a deal with the Queen, or her guards to turn their heads while she escaped, or...anything! After all it was in his best interest. He wouldn't want anyone to have power over him and he should have been fearful even if she didn't know much. But weeks had passed, turned into months, and now years. If it weren't for the marks on the wall she wouldn't have believed it. Day after day she sat here, chained to the room, staring at the wall, the ceiling, her own shadow! Food, death, sleep, death, mark, death, walk, death. This was her life and what a pitiful life it was. What a pitiful death it would be. Her mothers sacrifice...she'd wasted it!

Suddenly the door to her chamber creaked open and she startled. It wasn't late enough for dinner just yet...and this wasn't one of the Queens guards. They approached her with masks, but this man, while dressed appropriately in black, was exposed. He wore no mask and looked familiar to her, as if she'd seen him somewhere once before in passing but she just couldn't place him. She wished she had, wished she knew who he was and what he was doing because he was looking at her all too eagerly. Her heart started to pound. She'd grown up reading remarkable fantasies, wishing she could have someone elses life, and the result was constantly hearing the warning to be careful what you she wished for. Was it time? Had her death finally arrived? Was this man here to kill her?

"You must be Belle," he said shutting the door. In his hand was a nasty looking hook of some kind. Was that it? Was this how she would meet her death? On the end of a sharp point?!

"The Queen sent you, didn't she?" she stated boldly. How else would he know her name. "She wants you to kill me," she assumed holding back her tears. If this was her last chance to be brave then she was going to face it with dry eyes and a straight spine. An honorable death for the princess she was.

"I'm not here to kill you, love." So it was to be torture then. She would face it just as bravely, she just hoped that her body would hold out and that her brain would keep her mouth shut about Rumpelstiltskin. She couldn't let herself tell him anything. "I'm here to rescue you," he corrected.

Then the impossible happened. The man knelt before her and started fumbling with the chains around her ankle. He was removing them! "Rescue me?" The man took her by surprise. She hadn't expected anybody but him to come for her, and yet here was a stranger, offering her exactly what she longed for. Was it a trick? It certainly seemed too good to be true. But just as she braced herself for the possibility, the shackles once painfully tight around her ankles released for the first time since she'd been here. It felt wonderful just to feel the fresh air on her skin instead of the cold hardness of the chains. She was amazed, he really was going to rescue her. "Who are you?" she asked gently, offering her wrists to him as well. She wanted to assist him in any way possible. Especially since she now had a good look at his hand. He wasn't holding a hook, his hand was a hook. She would offer him any help that he needed so long as he could get her out of here and back to Rumpelstiltskin. Even if he didn't want to see her, he would know what to do to keep her safe so that this never happened again. He'd want to keep her out of harms way, if only for his own sake.

"A friend," he answered, refusing her his name. She just hoped that wasn't a hint of what would come of this relationship. "We haven't much time," he said getting to work on the shackles holding her wrists. "Your father's life is in danger!" For the second time his words had a startling effect on her. A thousand questions popped into her mind. Danger? What kind of danger? He was supposed to be protected! Was the Queen trying to harm him as well? Thinking that if her father was in danger then she would talk? And why wasn't Rumpelstiltskin fulfilling his deal of protection?! Was he so angry with her that he would break their deal? She had held up her end, and then some, so why wasn't he?!

This was a mess, all of it, it had been ever since the day she'd kissed him. And now her father was in danger too? She needed to get to Rumpelstiltskin, if he had protected those she loved once he could do it again. Not for nothing, she knew, but maybe if she promised to leave him alone, if she promised not to see him again as she'd been planning since her capture...the thought of purposefully never seeing him again broke her heart. But she need to protect those that she loved, and if that was how it was going to happen, then she would trade the man she loved but didn't want her for the family that she loved who did want her.

She stared at the man with the Hook, willing him to give her more information. "He's being attacked by the very same monster that stole you away from your family in the first place," he explained quickly, honoring her silent request.

The words didn't shock her this time, but they did confuse her. She hadn't expected that! "Rumpelstiltskin?" she had to clarify. It just seemed so absurd to her.

"The Dark One, he must be stopped," the man said freeing her and finally pulling her to her feet. This made no sense to her at all. Rumpelstiltskin was supposed to be protecting her family and friends. Why would he attack her father? Unless…unless he was trying to draw her out. Unless the Evil Queen hadn't informed him that she was holding her captive and he was searching for her, and knew no other way to get to her. He knew that she would come back for her friends and family, it was the brave thing to do. She could fix this. She would be a hero again! But she had to get to him first to do it!

"You spent more time with him than anyone," the man continued looking her in the eyes with desperation. "There are rumors of a magical weapon that has the power to kill him-"

"No, no, no" she interrupted him. He was thinking about killing Rumpelstiltskin, it wasn't necessary! It was much simpler than that. "Let, let me talk to him. He's not a monster!" And if she was going to spend the rest of her life trying, she would prove it one day to the world.

"Belle, your father's life hangs in the balance," he insisted a little more agitated than she thought he should be. It was her father, not his! "I need to know where that weapon is and where to find it!" A weapon. A myth that she'd read about once in a book and only ever caught a glimpse of in the shadows. But he was desperate for it, she could tell, but that very fact scared her beyond belief. She was starting to get the feeling that this man was not the 'friend' he introduced himself as. She feared that he was a friend to her as Samuel had been, seeing her only as an asset to get to a magical weapon that might not even exist.

"I don't know what you're talking about and I have no idea how to...how to kill Rumpelstiltskin," she yelled at him, sneering at the very suggestion.

"You don't," he said after a heartbeat, his voice suddenly changed to surprised disbelief. And she saw in his gaze a flash of disappointment before hiding again behind shock. He really expected her to know how to kill him? Clearly, he wasn't familiar with the man at all. Sure she'd read books that mentioned him but all of those books only ever said the same thing: he was a powerful sorcerer who offered deals to desperate individuals for better and worse. That was what had made her want her father to summon him when the ogres attacked! But beyond that?! There was one passage about the dagger out of dozens of books she read! She didn't know how he had come by his curse but she was certain it would take more than the squiggly little knife she'd seen to strip him of it. Besides, even if there was a way why would Rumple ever tell her?

"No!" she yelled at him. "And, and, nor would I!" she screamed at the man who made her stomach turn.

"Oh!" the man looked like he was finally getting the idea, but she didn't want to work with him either way now. However, he was the lesser of two evils. He had freed her and that was wonderful, but they needed to run and get away from the Evil Queen before she realized she was free. And then, once they were away from here, she would escape from him and get back to Rumpelstiltskin, just as she'd intended. He might not want to see her, or love her, but he would protect her. The man in him wouldn't leave her in danger. Even if she never saw him again, she would be safe.

"Well then," the man muttered suddenly, "I'm afraid I'm not here to rescue you."

Her eyes widened as she saw him draw his hand back, she barely had a moment to think to move before-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, so there is a lot to say about this chapter because it's only been edited now about 3 million times. 3 Big things...well...2 little 1 big. #1 Hook and 3x22 and her not recognizing him. I was really careful when I added that scene into Mutual Contentment to make sure that Belle didn't focus on Emma or Hook. You can read it again and see for yourself, she barely pays any attention to them, it's mostly on Rumple and that was done for this chapter, so that she wouldn't recognize them. #2 The dagger thing and OotP. See...this is why I keep things ambiguous, because here she very clearly denies knowledge of the dagger when she clearly has it in OotP. I hope that I dealt with it alright here and it seems acceptable for her to deny it in an effort to keep him safe and because she's not confident it exists. And finally #3...the timeline is something we're just going to have to talk about in every Moments fiction. Someone did count up the marks on the wall in Belle's prison once. Supposedly she was there about two years before the curse hit meaning that she was held captive a total of about 30 years. As of 5x04, from where I'm standing that seems about right and is supported by multiple episodes. This scene obviously takes place toward the end because Hook is about to go to Wonderland to kill Cora and a few days later the curse will hit. So...for now that's where we're at. There will be another update on the time line in the very near future...like early on in MS&U.
> 
> Peace and Happy Reading!


	62. The End

Her cheek still stung.

It had been three days since she woke up to strange hands working on her face. When she opened her eyes she found an unfamiliar man squatting next to her pitiful excuse for a bed examining her sleeping form. She had immediately jumped away from him, untrusting of the stranger. Who was he? Why was he there?

Then she'd remembered.

The man. The one that came to see her. The one that told her Rumpelstiltskin was tormenting her father. Where was he? Had he been captured too? No. It took a second but she remembered. She'd told him she knew of no weapon that would destroy the Dark One. He'd told her that if she couldn't help him then he wouldn't rescue her. The last thing she remembered was his hand rearing back to slap her. He'd hit her so hard she'd lost consciousness instantly.

At the memory, she'd reached up to touch the painful cheek bone and the small man in her cell was quick to say "I wouldn't prod it, Princess" with a sneer. But it was too late, she'd already touched it and pain seared under her eye and radiated through her skull at even the lightest caress. "Don't say I didn't warn you," he chided in an unsympathetic tone as he tried to move a little closer to her.

She attempted to scramble further away from him, but her chains pulled painfully against her wrists, yanking on her joints, and holding her in place. When she glanced down at them she realized they had been shortened. Where she once had been able to get up and walk about the room, now all she could do was linger on her bed. She was trapped. It made her nervous as she stared at the unknown man before her. He didn't seem like a friendly or sympathetic man, but he also didn't give her the same horrible untrusting feeling the Evil Queen or the unknown man had. Their short encounter so far told her that he wouldn't free her, but he wasn't going to hurt her either.

"Who are you?" she questioned, finally allowing the man to come a bit closer to her.

"I'm just a man," he said with an uninterested sigh, picking up a small tin of something pink colored that smelled faintly of roses. "I'm here to inspect your injuries," he explained as he rubbed his fingers in the substance that looked to be both liquid and solid, then raised his hand, she realized, to place it under her eye. She flinched away from his touch automatically again. Nothing good ever came from people touching her here. "I'm a doctor," he reassured her with an inpatient voice. "The Queen wanted you looked at, I promise I'm not here to hurt you." Nevertheless, she refused to give into the stranger and turned her head so he couldn't get to the painful spot on her face. She'd take no kindness from the woman who had locked her up and she certainly wasn't going to let anyone touch her voluntarily. The room was quiet for a while before the man, the doctor finally seemed to understand her stubbornness. "Persistent," he sighed after a moment. "Very well. You're free to do it yourself. It's extract of a rare flower, it might make you a bit sleepy but it'll take the pain in your cheek away. You were fortunate he didn't break the bone."

His muttering finally made her glance back up at him. "Who was he?" she asked taking the container from his hand. "Is he gone?" She wouldn't let the man touch her but that didn't mean she couldn't get information out of him.

The man sneered again and pulled a small circular mirror from a leather bag. "Rest assured. You'll never see that pirate again."

"Pirate?"

He only held the mirror out to her. "Dab that on your cheek. Try not to get in any more trouble. Not that it should be very hard," he added glancing at her chains. Then without another word, he shouldered his bag and left her in the tower, the lock echoing loudly behind him. Her questions unanswered, her cheek throbbing, she'd glanced at the mirror in her hand. A memory, now nearly as painful as her aching cheek ripped through her heart.

He'd once told her never to own a mirror, or, if she had to possess one, to keep it covered.  _"You never know what might be looking back,"_  he'd whispered in her ear. She'd forced the cryptic warning out of her head and glanced at herself in the mirror. Sure enough, her entire right check was black and blue. It appeared that the pirate had hit her so hard that the bruising reached into her eye socket and up the bridge of her nose. No wonder she hurt so much.

She'd learned nothing more about the man who visited her in the last three days. The only piece of information she'd managed was that he was a pirate and with nothing new learned, she tried not to dwell on it. Every time she thought about it, it made her want to tear up with shame, embarrassment, and disappointment. How could she have been so foolish, how could she still be so optimistic after all of this to think that it was a strange man in black with a hook for a hand that would have freed her!

No one was coming for her. No one was going to free her. Maybe it would be better if she just accepted that instead of struggling to keep her frail hope alive.

Fortunately the substance that the doctor had left her with worked like a charm. It took away the pain in her cheek, but it also made her sleepy, and she found that sleep was a great escape from her bleak life. She curled up on her little "bed" and tried her hardest to ignore the feel of the shackles against her skin. She should be trying to chase away the memories of her times at the castle, of him, but it didn't help that the substance keeping her pain at bay smelled of roses. At times it seemed like all she could think of was memories of the flowers he'd set out on the table for her, the rose he'd given her before setting her free, the same rose that had sat on the table as she'd stormed out of the castle, never to see him again. Her eyes filled with tears again as the terrible thoughts threatened to spill over onto her pillow.

Where was he? Why hadn't he come for her?! She'd felt so sure, just after she'd been brought here that he'd get her out of this cell. He might not want her, but she was certain that he wouldn't have wanted someone like her, who knew his secrets and his habits, out in the world in the hands of the Evil Queen. She didn't know what he would do with her once he had rescued her, but she assumed it would have been better than what she was living now. He would have placed her safely away in a house of some kind. Not with someone he trusted, because she knew that there was no one he did trust, but at least with someone who would have protected her so that something like this would never happening again. It wouldn't have been ideal but it would have been something!

Her other hope for her life post-rescue had been much more optimistic. If he didn't have any where to take her, maybe he would have taken her back to the castle. Sure he would have locked her in the cell at first, just like before, but she would have gotten to him eventually. Whether he liked it or not he loved her, and she knew that eventually he would have let her out, they would have solved their problems. They would have been happy.

From outside she heard a rumble of what was probably thunder, and it brought her out of her hopeful thoughts and back the dark tower that was her prison back into the forefront of her mind.

He wasn't coming for her.

He wasn't going to free her.

Happy endings…if they did exist, they certainly weren't in her future. He'd made sure of that.

She tried to roll over but the chains binding her to the bed prevented the action. It was a small thing, but it was just enough to expel the tears that had been gathering in her eyes and send them rolling down her cheeks and falling onto her pillow with light but still deafening "plops".

It was hopeless.

Another roll of thunder echoed through her empty prison and she couldn't help but give a small chuckle. Of course it was raining! Here she sat chained to a bed, held against her will in the highest tower, nearly devoid of all hope, and it sounded like it was going to pour any second. How fitting for her current situation!

She reached for the mirror and tin that she'd been keeping under her bed. Maybe sleeping through it would be a better option. Maybe when she woke up she'd feel better. Maybe when she woke up the sun would be out, her cheek would be tolerable enough that she wouldn't need to put on the rose scented cure, and maybe then she could build up her courage, and get her hope back.

She held the circular mirror in her hand and gazed into it, wishing beyond all sensibility that the reflection she saw in it would be his. If ever she needed for a mirror to be a window into her life it was now. She stared into it, willing it, praying that she might see something in it. She focused so hard that her head began to pound. But still, the only face she saw was her own. Suddenly she gasped as a new pain coursed through her hand. She'd been holding the mirror too tight and the edges had dug into her fingers just enough to draw a thin line of blood from each digit. She hadn't realized how sharp the little scrap was around the edges and she certainly didn't think that it had been sharp enough to act as a weapon against-

An idea sprung into her thoughts so suddenly she didn't have time to prepare for it or to plan for it. Her eyes widened as she stared down at the little mirror in her hands. She'd been given no weapon, nothing to defend herself with, nothing to free herself with. She'd been waiting up here for someone to rescue her, what if she didn't need to wait. What if the doctor had given her the tool she needed all along. It was a long shot. She knew that it was a pitiful plan with more loopholes than reassurances…but it was something. Could she figure out a way to smash the mirror, could she figure out a way to get a piece of it that would allow her to pick the lock on her chains? Could she get a piece big enough to help her fight her way out of this place?

Her stomach turned at the idea of harming someone. But then again, maybe she didn't need to harm anyone, exactly. Maybe she just needed to overwhelm the guards. There were only two at her door she'd managed to figure that much out by now. If she could just get free, then get by them, she could leave. It wouldn't be easy, but she was small and she'd mastered the art of being quiet and discreet when she'd been at her father's palace. She just knew, if she could get out of this room, she could get free. And she knew just where she was going to go when she got free. This time it wasn't just because she wanted to, it was also because she needed to.

If she did manage to get free it wouldn't be long before the Evil Queen noticed her absence and began her search. She would need someone to protect her if she didn't want to end up back here, or in a place far worse. Her father, Gaston, Mulan, no one would be strong enough to keep her safe from reliving this fate. Except for him. At the very least, she'd insist that he do something to keep this from happening again. It would be her way back into his life. It would be freedom. It would be-

Another rumble from the world outside the walls of her jail made her pause. Almost immediately, a louder roll washed over the space, causing the walls to shake and the bed to rattle against the floor. It sounded as if the storm was right on top of them…but then where was the rain? Where was the wind? All she could hear was the sound of that powerful thunder rattling around them. Another burst of it rocked her tower so violently that the bed actually moved. What was going on outside?!

Suddenly there was a groan that drew her attention to the domed ceiling above her. She glanced up and held her breath as the roof beams sounded like they were stretching and flexing. That couldn't be good, she'd been up here long enough to experience a storm or two, they were never pleasant but the roof never made those noises either. Despite the rattling and groaning the room seemed too still and the only sound she was really conscious of was her breath and the pounding of her heart. Something was happening. She could feel it. But what?

There was a sound, sharper than thunder, it cracked and she watched as before her eyes the roof came apart shingle by shingle and purple clouds were revealed in the sky. Her eyes went wide and she screamed and covered her head, an instinct to protect her against falling debris, but none came. When she glanced up she could see those ominous purple clouds. It was no storm that she'd ever seen before, and she had the sudden impression that it wasn't the tower the storm craved, it was her. As the smoke filled the room she dove under the bed, fear made her body shake as she thought she heard the sound of the tower being taken apart, stone by stone. She wanted so badly to run, but her chains held her in that place, making escape impossible. She cried out for help but the noise in the room was deafening and even if there was someone on the other side of the door they wouldn't be able to hear her over it. She was easy prey for the unknown force that seemed intent on killing her.

It was a tragedy that she would die here, like this, without ever truly getting the chance to fight for what she wanted. She squeezed her eyes shut tight and pictured him in her mind's eye. Even in separation and anger, he was her one comfort in the eye of the storm. If she was going to die she wanted to die recalling the happiest memories she had of her life, she never wanted to forget any of the moments they'd spent together, she never wanted to forget…

There was silence and then… _there was nothing._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, welcome to the end. I really hope that you enjoyed this story! The next story in the Moments series is Moments Seen and Unseen and you can find the story by simply heading over to my profile. It features everything that takes place in Storybrooke from the moment that we see Belle sitting in her cell in 1x12 up until Regina gives her Lacey's memories in 2x19.
> 
> Of course if you liked what you read please leave a comment! I love getting those wonderful little gems in my inbox and communicating with the people reading on a personal level. And if you want to read more please check out any of the other fictions in the Moments Series. For more information on the Moments Series, upcoming fictions, posting days and publishing dates, or a reading order check out my profile and to keep up on any editions on the Moments Series throughout the year follow Montreat11 on Twitter! Peace and Happy Reading!


	63. Chapter Updates

Hey ya'll! Since the series is still running and I'm doing my best to keep it as accurate as possible there is always the chance that I will have to add another chapter or two to this story to do that (course that also means I might have to delete or edit some but it hasn't happened yet and if it does I'll cross that bridge when I come to it). I will post all the chapter updates to this fiction here so that you don't need to go searching to find the new stuff!

As of 1/15/2018 Moments Known and Unknown is updated. The following chapters have been added:

44\. The Devil's Miracle  
45\. A Curious Individual

In order to accommodate these new chapters, the following chapters in have also been updated:

(MK&U) 46. A Lonely Man

Thanks for your wonderful and continuing interest in this series! I do my best and work really hard to make sure that it all is smooth and in canon! I appreciate your interest and of course, if you like what you are reading please don't hesitate to leave a comment! Peace and Happy Reading!

 


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